My Dear Vigilante
by OneWayToLearn
Summary: Given a holy matchmaking ritual, a really socially awkward knight and an oblivious vigilante. Adding a rising evil force and akumas to the mix and catastrophe is ensured. All corners of the love-square, with two more major and a few minor additional ships as well. The mood changes from fluff to angst to blissful to depressed. Slow built, slow burn. Steampunk/medieval/magicAU?
1. This was it

**This came from a funny idea during a bus ride and this is my first fanfic ever, so be prepared.**  
 **Critics and more critics are welcomed!**

This was it. The worst day of his life. Why things turned out the most embarrassing way possible. It all started a few months ago. No, the problem originated itself from a lot earlier. Maybe it started when he was a mere child and his father isolated him from the outside world. But nothing with those theories could help him now. Standing here like a rigid useless statue, or lamp… maybe a lamp would be more accurate. At least a statue would attract someone. Anyone. But no way that would ever happen. He was standing here,on the very edge of the great hall, waiting for the dread to begin. Until a few months prior he didn't even think about that this night would be inevitable. All his thoughts were around where they have always been: his duty.

As the son of one of the richest people and prominent entity of their country he always had the responsibilities what came with the name atop of his own personal matters. His father was a fine gentleman with enormous talent to make the best armors, equipment and weapons within the kingdom. Even if he himself didn't walk the path of knights he was still simply the best at his work.

A talent his son sadly didn't share with him so he had to purchase other dreams. Of course, dreams that were good enough to uphold the Agreste name. Just like becoming a knight and get to the inner circle of the king. What he would rather not. Not like he had any issues with the king, really, he was a great man and an excellent ruler. He had issues with social interactions altogether.

From a young age he had trained with the best of the bests, always surrounded by knights and some of the greatest swordsmen and warriors. All this life of solitude in the world of adults had led to an outstanding combatant but very awkward teenage boy who freed from his isolation to kids his own age - as he had started the academy with other youngsters – had still been chained to his past experiences, or rather non-existent experiences, and couldn't socially interact with anyone from his class. Even when others had approached him, most of the time he hadn't knew how to react, what to do. As it had frustrated him greatly he had chosen to spend his time with refining his skills. It hadn't took too much time to get the name 'blue blood knight' from others. He was rich, he was cold, he was perfect. Everyone wanted to be him. Exceptt himself. Others would have been very surprised if they knew what his only friend did, that he was not even cold and hell, not a real perfectionist just a really lonely ray of sunshine and a bunch of awkwardness thanks to his family circumstances.

Just like now. He stood there, doing absolutely nothing. Except recalling all the mistakes he had made along the way. He should have expected this. Really. Why hadn't he prepared or something? Maybe the last warning bell, his 25th birthday came just a little to late.

After the four years at the academy, from where he only had got one person he was proud to be friends with, he had become an official knight and started his duty under Commander Jäger, who was more than pleased with him. He had spent all the previous seven years as a knight and now were about to become the youngest commander in their country. His commander went as far as telling him that the only reason he wasn't promoted earlier is that without war the old farts don't die out to give place new promising ones. His Commander was not good at keeping his mouth shut.

So the seven years went by and he had found himself 25 years old a month ago. The age of the matchmaking ritual.

Actually the age of the matchmaking ritual for males. In every year the night of the spring equinox was the time when the holy matchmaking session took place. According to the tradition males at the age 25 and females at the age 23 across the land came together to find their future partner.

The age of men came from the required time of seven years of knighthood before they decide what path they would follow afterwards. When somebody became a knight and spent his or her seven years of duty they received respect and could choose between regular army service or the warriors' path, become a part of the king's guard, retire early and live like a noble or even have a simple life as unlike as it was. Not everybody became a knight. Just a few out of commoners could become one. Soldiers maybe, but knighthood was something what required more than simple talent with weapons. Mostly a good parentage. And not just because noble privileges. The right gens and the magical heritage were the most important qualifications to become one of the kingdom's most respected warriors.

The age of women came from a very similar reason. At a young age they were tested for their magical heritage and trained themselves to become a sorcerer and serve the kingdom and 'The Greater Good' as they said. After the choosing ritual at the age of 18 they started to work under their respective high priest and spent five years there until the age of 23 when they could decide about their future.

Of course with the tradition being so old nobody questioned it even now when there were countless female knights just as male sorcerers. The matchmaking ritual didn't even require being one of them.  
He looked around and sighed again. All the nerves in his body filling up with uneasiness.

When a month ago he had been faced with the fact that this day was coming soon – way too soon for him – and he was forced to think. And think quick. Even if the holy ritual was to make matches, most of them had already been made long ago.

Most people – more social people – found their partner long before they were at the age of the ritual. They made promises with each other that they will find the other one and give each other their hearts officially. And this was what took away any hope of a good match for him. Maybe he shouldn't have left it to the last possible minute. He had gone through noble family after noble family but there was no match.  
All his desperate search for a still free and nearly acceptable woman had been futile. Every female he, his best friend or comrades knew were already taken or too young for him to wait out. It wasn't set in stone that you have to participate in the first spring equinox after your birthday but it was highly unlike to not to do so. And there was his over-enthusiastic aunt.  
After the disappearance of his mother she was the most encouraging and bright person in his life. Sometimes a little too much, but more than lovable. She was the one who always celebrated his birthday, went to his competitions and praised him with no end.

She was more than excited for his favorite nephew and was more than happy to be there for him on the big night of matchmaking. What made the dread even worse. Only a quick glance up to the upper floor's balcony and he easily found his aunt next to his father – a miracle itself that he was present – who was bouncing on her feet with excitement, a giant smile spreading across her face.  
This was bad.

He spared a look to the entrance nearest to him. There were guards, but they weren't there to stop him or anybody from leave. Just some commotion control or whatever. But there was no escape. Not when he was already here.

As he was looking around again he saw many overly happy couples already chatting before the ceremony even began, not taking a step from their lovely partner. He didn't know anyone. Two of his comrades and his one and only best friend were somewhere out there, but he couldn't see them. Not like it would do any help. The tension was growing inside him. Should he leave? Then again, the chance to leave flew out of the window when he entered the ceremony hall.

Halls similar to this were full of people just like this one across the country. The times when the hall of the palace could host the ritual for the entire kingdom were long gone. As the country expanded and the population has risen the ritual had got first two then many other separated places as its host. You went where your match was or if you didn't have one prior – a real loser like him – then the one nearest to your home or the one with the most promising outcome. Of course, not everybody could get a ticket to the palace. The main ceremony hall was filled only with the cream of the kingdom and their respective partners. So the humiliation would be even worse here. With all his superiors, the king, his family and guests, many other important people, his over-enthusiastic aunt, and of course, the worst of all, his father were all present.  
He was desperate. How could he find a match? Let alone offer himself to her? What if she won't accept? What if there were only the ones no one else wanted? Or worse… what if there wasn't any?  
That possibility was worse than finding a nearly acceptable match. The possibility of not finding any terrified him. The shame was too much to handle for him. Even if the opportunity to have another year to find a partner seemed to be tempting, the shame of not finding a partner was much greater.

Adrien Agreste, the blue blood knight, solitary for life.

And then, just as the song of the end, the trumpets rose up, loud sound erupted from them and the ceremony has began. The guests cheered from the upper floor's balcony, the little crystals in the right hands of the males burning up and people were starting their search immediately.

He was frozen in place. What should he do? What if he goes to a woman who was just waiting for her partner and get instantly rejected? Maybe he should just wait out at least until the already set up matches find each other. He couldn't move. Others' excited cheering and the lights became dim to him. His entire body felt numb. Why was he here again?

His birthday had been a big event for the family and almost everyone he knew – what was really just a few – and everyone his father knew had came together to celebrate. With this he was out in the market and should have been ready to decide about his future. His father had great plans with him and urged him to apply for king's guard or commander of the eastern side. A path what was laid down to him. As everything in his life.

His aunt had other plans. She wanted him so badly to start a family and purchase his own happiness. A thought what never occurred to him before. Did he even want a family?  
His former commander and now trusted friend had advised him to wait some time before he decides what's the best for him. They were after all decisions he can only make once in a lifetime and followed him though his whole life. For the first time he had a decision to make. But was this really his own? Or he should just act according to his father's will as always? What was what he really wanted?

In the end he didn't know what he wanted so he postponed it. Everybody except maybe his father wanted him to partake in the ceremony and start a family, so he had gave in as the people-pleaser he was and entered.

As it was now he probably had his mind elsewhere or completely evaporated because he didn't even have a match to begin with. What was he thinking?  
A load excited shout brought him out from his stupor. He glanced up and saw his aunt with balled fist pumping in the air, shouting encouraging words to him.  
''Go! My handsome little cinnamon-roll! Get them!"

It was embarrassing as hell, but he needed this to come to his senses. He stopped just for a moment regarding his father disapproving look then braced himself and finally started moving. But as he was looking around again he saw that most of the couples had already found each other. He had to be fast. Really fast. There were still ladies left, he had to do something.

Straightening his right hand with the blue crystal sprout – really, why blue, he really hated blue – he started squeezing himself through the crowd looking for women still standing alone.

What should he search for? He didn't have something like a dream woman or anything. Sure, it would be nice, if she were pretty or smart or brave – at least one of them – but this deep into this shit he would be satisfied with one he could get along. He had no high expectations, he was content with what he could get.

Then he saw the flash of yellow in the corner of his eye and he had a new, very firm image what he wanted.

She could be anyone but Chloé Bourgeois.

He knew her almost all his life and you could say that they were friends. Chloé was the little princess of one of the richest people in their kingdom, just like his father. On more occasion than not he had found himself with the girl, the only kid at his age. In fact the only kid who he knew and was brave enough to approach him. He should definitely give her credit for her unwavering confidence. In his youth he had been in awe how confident she could be with others, even with adults like her father. Just when they went to the academy together he saw how mean and overbearing she could be. She had been just deepening further his discomfort with his classmates, always clinging to his arm, demanding others to keep distance from him.

He was lucky there was a guy, his dear best friend who didn't give a shit about her throwing a fit or how socially awkward he was.

As they were growing up she became more of an adult and less of an annoying brat, but she was still blabbering about their future together. A thought what caused goosebumps on his back and not the good kind. He was okay being friends with her – against all his best friend's reasoning – but absolutely wasn't ready to spend his entire life with her. You can't share you future and bed with anyone. If he will end up with her he may die an early death on the battlefield to put himself out of misery.

He moved fast to the other side of the hall. He had to keep distance. He was pretty tall, even in this crowd he was likely easy to spot.

But all his evading route wasted opportunities for him again and the number of suitable women decreased rapidly. He was looking around again desperately and zoomed on two women still standing alone not too far from each other. One of them would be good. He started his way towards them when he spotted her.

A woman, lot shorter than himself seemingly not interested in this whole ordeal, preoccupied with the crystal sprouts that the males were carrying on their right palm. She was definitely out of place. Her clothes were unordinary and he recognized them as some short of traditional wear of the neighboring country. A pure white tunic with red and gold accent. Pretty but formal, not exactly suitable for a matchmaking ritual.  
After thousand years of war 300 years ago the two nations and its people had came to an agreement and it had brought peace to both kingdoms. The Empire of the Wild, Entarossa had a crisis that time and as parts of the empire have declared themselves independent one after another, the new power what had risen out of the ashes and had took over the throne after many years of war of succession, had wanted no more war instead to strengthen the remaining of the once great empire in peace. Felidera as the first part what had fought so many years for independence had took the chance gratefully and a mutual declaration of peace and a no-fight policy had been made. In the beginning there had been lot of skeptic people on both sides, but as time has passed and no new conflict has erupted the flames of hatred slowly died out.  
The two countries were still only neutral neighbors until 15 years ago an attack on the southern region had required both kingdoms to work together. Their relationship had improved, the borders opened from both sides and 3 years ago – after a huge incident and an even bigger argument what involved two lovebirds with high social standing from the opposite sides – mixed marriage has been legalized and extended for all rank and social class. There were still only a few of them, and when someone from another country was here, she or he was most probably already here for someone. As other countries and nations in the surroundings didn't have such a ritual for matchmaking – how much he wanted to live now anywhere else but here – they had no problem to participate in this ritual if they found love with someone from this country.

So any thought of him approaching this woman was most likely futile, a waste of time, as she presumably already had a match she was here for. But still he found himself unable to look away.  
The curiosity she surveyed the couples, the setting and most obviously the crystals symbolized their hearts what they offered their female counterparts. As she reached closer he noticed her beautiful raven black hair and the mask she was wearing. It wasn't that weird. Many young ladies who had no match or wanted a match against the will of their social class hid themselves behind a mask or even disguised themselves to make it harder for men to recognize them when they didn't want.

One more thing why he shouldn't have took one more step closer, eyes fixated on her. Somehow… somehow he was drawn to her. As she danced around the hall with easy and carefree steps she got closer and closer to him until she was standing right next to him. She was surprised as she stopped abruptly front of him. He probably stood in her way or something but he didn't move an inch. As she looked up at him with unwavering curiosity he was stunned. Blue eyes. So blue eyes. He had never seen anything like this blue. It was… it was… just like the crystal in his hand. The thought came to him by completely surprise and without a second thought he was rising his hand to inspect the crystal sprout and know if he was right about the color.

But as he awkwardly rose his hand to himself it caught the attention of the woman too. He had stopped in motion and now both of them were staring at the blue crystal sprout. He was right. The item was just the hue of blue of her mesmerizing eyes. It occurred to him that the same thought was crossing her mind too as her face lit up, so he reached out further in her direction to give her a better access.

What he didn't expect that she would reach out too and grab the sprout taking his outstretched then frozen in place hand as encouragement and consent to take it for eyes went comically wide and his mouth hang open. As she took it the sprout immediately blossomed into a rose. She smiled at it warmly, it was beautiful really. She inspected it closely then turned back to him. But as she wanted to give it back she had noticed the arm that gave it to her was already retreated. Peering up at the wide eyed man in front of her, with all the confusion she had from this strange interaction she could only muster out this much ''Thank… you?"


	2. Home

**The day before equinox in Marinette's POV**

The morning fog cowered up the streets. The air wasn't chilly anymore, the steam-powered machines were long awake working and they filled up every space they could with fresh hot puffy whistles and masked the city in an ever-white coat.

Many people were out already. Even in this part of the city – far away from the center – life was at full speed. People didn't have the luxury to sleep in, work in the manufactories started at dawn and with the workers, the others were awake too.

A small hooded figure pushed herself through the crowd with little trouble and went straight to a small building squeezed between two other larger ones, a manufacture and a warehouse. The small massage parlor with its only two floors seemed like it was a memory of another age, constricted entirely from wood and bamboo with large paper-windows, huge foreign letters on the walls.

She walked to the door, without hesitation opened it and went in then up, ignoring everyone who were there on the lower floor just like they ignored her presence. This was nothing new. It was a long time since she last had been here –at least three months – but she was here enough times before to move around confidently.

A small old wooden staircase led up to the upper floor which contained smaller rooms for private costumers, what functioned sometimes as an inn where people could sleep, and the office of the owner. She went straight to the office door, then for the first time stopped on her tracks and with one hand slowly knocked on the door.

''Come in!" Came the answer and she entered into the room right away. The small old man with gray hair, a little beard and a ridiculous red shirt with white flower-prints turned in her direction and his eyes lit up. He gave her a smile ''Marinette, it's been a long time. Would you like some tea?"

''Grand Master Fu, glad to see you again!" She bowed her head to the master respectfully, a small smile dancing on her lips.

''Oh please, just call me Fu! We are out here without titles and it would be safer as well"

''Sorry, you are right. It's meaningless to meet up in this place in secret, if I give us away with my stupidity" frowned the girl as she pulled down her hood.

''Don't be hard on yourself, you did a wonderful job since I know you. How long has it been?"

''Maybe 10 years or so… I didn't really count, now it's not a job rather a lifestyle for me."

''Indeed. You were so young when the miraculous chose you." he told her as he poured out some tea into small cups on a round table in the middle of the small room, then he looked up at her and smiled ''I was so surprised." He gestured her to sit down with his hand and she followed.

''You weren't the only one…" she took one of the cups and took a sip from the strong flavored liquid. ''What's this Fu? It tastes horrible!"

''Oh sorry, I didn't warn you. It's one of my new mixes. It strengthens your soul and recharges your energy."  
''And it kills my tongue"

''Use some honey. Here…" he handed her a pot with the golden substance and she took it with an uncertain expression.

''Why do I feel like it's not normal honey?"

Fu just smiled in response and with a shrug of her shoulders she poured it into her tea. As she took another sip she noted that it tasted better now, but was a little afraid of what Master Fu was testing on her this time.  
After a moment of silence the master asked his visitor.''So how can I help you?"

''Oh! Right!" She face-palmed herself and wondered how could she even forget this on the first place. After years of hard work, she finally succeeded, it was finally in her hands. She fished through her pocket fast and brought out a small black box. It was made of thick deep dark wood and had some dark green letters carved into it.

Fu's eyes widened ''You got it?"

''Yes." She smiled nervously. ''Sorry, I didn't tell you beforehand in my letters, but I figured it would be safer to keep the information to myself until I give it to you. It was really hard to obtain it, so it would be a shame to lose it so fast."

She held out the box with her hand as he reached out and took it slowly. He was somewhat awe-stuck. ''After so many years…" He slowly opened the box and stared at the pitch-black ring with a big green paw-print on the middle, ''The black cat miraculous is finally home." He then looked up at her with a found smile and grateful eyes.''Thank you Marinette. You have done well."

She grinned awkwardly at him in return. ''Don't mention it… even if it was a hell lot of work."

''Indeed. You make a great ladybug. Tikki chose well." His smile dropped as the thought occurred to him. ''Now that it came up… where is Tikki?"

''Oh" The thought got to her too and after a momentary frightened expression flashed across her face she quickly looked into her purse and found her kwami deep asleep with a cookie held between her little paws. Marinette smiled down at her. ''I think she's exhausted. We just came back from the north with the ring yesterday night and didn't get much sleep." She gave a tired smile to the master before an unwanted yawn escaped her lips.

''You should rest."

''How much rest I get before I go after the other miraculouses?" She asked a little unwillingly. The desire to get some well-earned holiday was evident on her face even if she tried to hide it in vain. The master would gladly give her that, but before that he had something what was needed to be discussed with her.

''Tell me, did you came across any… strange or odd things out there when you were searching after the ring?"

''Strange things?" She hummed as she was pondering on this ''What exactly do you mean? What qualifies as strange in our crazy world?"

''So you didn't see anything what didn't belong to there?" He asked her intently.

''I always had some competitors, and there were some strange things as well yes, but I don't know if we are talking about the same thing… maybe… Ah! I remember something!" She clapped her hands together with a grin and was looking at her master who was leaning closer now from across the table. Her happy demeanor turned into serious and worrying all of sudden then she said her next words very quietly. ''There were those… things. Dark things like phantoms. They were following me and I had a very bad feeling about them, so I tried to lose them as much as I could. Tikki kept frowning at them, but she didn't tell me why, and they were somehow connected to butterflies."

''Butterflies?" Master Fu asked a little surprised.

''Yes. Before they appeared and after they were gone I often saw butterflies. Dark butterflies. It was strange because up in the north deep in the mountains there was no way they could winter and spring was especially cold. I mean… no plants or anything to eat. And I know… they could have been magical ones, but even if it's true, they gave Tikki and me the creep constantly."

''Hmm" The master sunk deep into his thoughts and had a worried expression.

''Something is wrong Master Fu?"

''Did you happen to fight with those phantom creatures as well?"

''No. They followed me and were really creepy, but aside from that and the ominous feeling they gave me nothing was out of ordinary. All the fights I had were with other human beings or some half-creatures who wanted the ring."

''Is that so?" She just nodded in response. ''If I ask, could you please remain in the capital for a while now? I need to look into something."

''Of course!" She couldn't hide her smile. She wasn't home for months and spent fairly little amount of time with her parents and friends in the previous years. It would be great to catch up with Alya and the others. But then she remembered how worried her master sounded and she turned back serious once again. ''Should I be worried?"

''I can't say anything for now. I will probably know more later this day. Could we meet up again this evening?"

''Actually…" She said, nervously pulling at her pigtails. Master Fu arched an eyebrow at her and urged her to continue. She sighed and went on.''The emperor was invited to this… what's this again? Equinox night or something? So he and his company were all invited by the king of this country for this grand ceremony and he wanted me to attend as well. It turns out the king from here were nagging him for years now to introduce me – as Ladybug of course – to him and his family, and I foolishly agreed to this for a ride home from the mountains. I made it here five times faster, but I can't back out now that I already promised." She sighed and buried her face in her hands. Fu chuckled at her antics. ''I can't avoid it, I am sorry…"

''In fact, it'll be in our favor. I just remembered I need to attend that ceremony as well." He grinned sheepishly as he completely forgot about it as well, as his thoughts were occupied by more pressing matters in those days. She grinned back at him and they laughed. She should have thought about it, as the Grand Master of the Tower of Miracles he was bond to be on a grand ceremony like this.

''Then we could meet up there maybe?"

He scratched on his beard then said ''Yes. I let Wayzz take care of this…" he held up the box and the turtle kwami flew out from his hiding spot and took it with him."…and tonight we will discuss some rather serious matters related to those jewelries. Now get some rest and make sure you look dazzling for tonight. After all it's the night of love." He smirked at her knowingly and she groaned. As if she had time for something like love.

~~~oOo~~~

It was later that morning – almost noon – when she walked into her parents' bakery. She had to grab a few things for herself before she made the grand entrace, because if her parents catch sight of her after three months they wouldn't let her go until hours and if Alya hears she is back in town she wouldn't let her go until that evening at least. She smiled at that thought. She was so happy being back. Even if she groaned as she remembered her duty for that night. 'Being serious, being dazzling, being pretty… being the idol everyone saw you.' She thought for herself bitterly. It's not like she completely hated being Ladybug – she wanted to protect people as much as it was in her power, and she loved Tikki – but it was sometimes too much for her. Especially as her duty as Ladybug and her dream to design and make armors and equipment were incompatible. With so many times being away in search of other miraculouses or fighting with evil creatures or people who borrowed the power of the dark side, she had barely time for herself, creating her own workshop was a far away dream. She sighed. Maybe another lifetime.

She chased away those thoughts and put on a happy smile as she entered. She wasn't going to show this pathetic, selfish side of her to her parents.

As her mother turned in her way she beamed at her, a bright smile on her face. ''Marinette! You are finally home!"

As her father heard those words he raced out of the kitchen and gently pushed through the crowd in the bakery to envelop his daughter in a massive bear-hug. ''I am so happy you are back!" He yelled happily, then put her down abruptly and inspected her. ''Let me see you! Are you alright? Some new scars? Anything I should be worried about?"

She laughed and dismissed her father's concern with a little wave of her hand. ''No, Papa, I am completely fine. A little tired though. Do you need any help in the bakery?"

''Don't be ridiculous! There is no way I am letting you work when you just got back! Go up take a nap! We'll talk about your adventures in this afternoon when you feel yourself better." He smiled and pushed her to the back door to go upstairs. Before that she gave a warm hug to her mother and she got a kiss on her cheek in return, then she grabbed some cookies and went up to her room. As she closed the trapdoor behind herself she opened her purse and looked at her kwami. ''Tikki, you should sleep on my bed instead, it would be more comfortable than my purse."

Tikki unwillingly opened her eyes for a moment then closed them again, but as Marinette reached for her with a sigh, the little creature slowly emerged from her purse on her own and flew up to her bed.  
She gave her a smile and looked around her room.

She was 24 and still lived with her parents. No, she didn't live with them. In fact she lived everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Away most of the time from her home. She was tired. Saying that she lived with her parents wouldn't be accurate. She would be happy if that was true. If she wanted to be precise she would rather say, she didn't have a place of her own. At least her old room gave her the homey feeling and she felt herself at peace here.

Everything was how she left. The tools, the materials, all her half-completed creations. She looked at the picture she had of Alya and herself. They took it when Alya and she graduated from school back in Entarossa. After that Alya were on journey almost constantly as well as she was. Being a journalist and all she found out her after some time and was following her in every dangerous situations - giving her a near-heart attack every time she saw her on an airship on fire, barely dodging an attack or stealing information from the enemy. Really, she would say her friend was braver than most of the soldiers out there, but the right word was crazy for her actions. One time she almost got herself sacrificed for an undead emperor's love.

She was so relieved when after the war ended on the south a little over a year ago now, Alya moved to the capital of this country. It turned out she met some hot dude on the battlefield as she was escaping an air-fortress, and was saved by the said guy. She was hesitant to leave the front – as she praised: the good source of news, especially Ladybug news – but the war ended shortly after, so she just went with the flow and came back here with her new love interest.

Using the chance she got, Marinette escaped without a word on her secret mission from Master Fu and traveled north before her friend could follow her. As a result she got her headwash when she got back at the first time. Not only from her friend but from her parents as well. After all she really left without a word overnight and didn't come back for months. She made Master Fu place some letters in front of their door time to time from her to let them know she was at least alive, but she couldn't give more information knowing her friend too well.

They were so worried it broke her heart. One more thing why it sucked to be Ladybug. She slowly crawled into her bed next to her little kwami and was fast asleep.

After a few hours footsteps banged on the stairs leading to her room and the trapdoor flew open. ''Marinette!" Screamed excitedly her friend, what earned a hateful groan from the said girl as her best friend ran up to her bed and jumped on top of her. ''I am so happy you are here!"

''Alya… couldn't you just… be… not you until I got enough sleep…?" Her voice was muffled by a pillow what seemed she tried to fuse with her face to escape from all the noise.

''Don't be ridiculous! You just came back!" She cheered happily.

''That's the exact reason why I should get some sleep."

''Oh, don't be this grumpy on this wonderful day!"

''And why is this such a wonderful day?" Marinette asked tiredly with a right amount of sarcasm as she turned on her back and looked up at her friend flatly.

''First, after like three months you are finally back. Your birthday is just in a few days-'' Oh, right, she completely forgot about her birthday ''- what we should celebrate properly this time, aaaaand…"

''Aaaaand?"

''And tonight is equinox and the matchmaking ceremony!"

''Oh right, you are going to be officially together with Nino from now, right?" She gave her friend a real smile this time and got all excited for her.

''I know, right? That handsome brave lad will be finally mine!"

''That really doesn't sounds possessive or anything." Marinette smirked at her friend and she gave her an identical one in return.

''Possessive or not, it's true! We'll start our new life with each other, start a family and all!"

''Speaking of future, are you giving up your crazy antics yet? I am sure Nino don't want you to run head-fast in danger."

''I am a journalist to death Marinette. There is no way I am giving up on that!"

''What death will come sooner if you keep up this madness!"

''It sounds pretty hypocrite from your mouth!"

''I go to dangerous places to save people and defeat evil, not for a good story!"

''People need information, and I give them that."

''Argh, you are hopeless!" Marinette groaned angrily.

''Will you give up being Ladybug when you find love and start a family?"

Marinette suddenly turned from angry to bitter. ''It's not a 'when' rather an 'if'. I am not sure I'll have a family at all."

''You can't be serious!" Alya was mortified. ''You always wanted to start your own workshop, have a dazzling handsome and tall husband with a kind smile, and three kids and a hamster!"  
''But how will I do that as Ladybug?"

Silence fell for them for a long moment before Alya spoke up again. ''Marinette… you can't do this… You should live the life you always wanted."

''And how? It's not as if I can choose when I am go into danger like you. I can't keep up pregnancy with all the fight and swinging around on my yo-yo. How should I deal with a marriage if I am never at home? For the same reason I can't purchase my dream." She looked away from her and frowned. ''And I can't put my family into danger. I have enemies Alya! It's a constant stress for me to keep my current friends and family safe, not a future one, let alone children." She was whispering at the end, barely holding back tears. Alya was silent. ''Sometimes I wonder if I should just leave you behind. At least I won't put you in danger."

Alya enveloped her into a tight hug as she crashed her arms around her friend. ''Don't ever say that again! You can't leave us behind! We will find you! I will find you no matter what! You're my best friend dammit! I couldn't live without you!"

Marinette couldn't cry, not in her best friend's embrace, but a few tears escaped from all the tension built up in her. Unbeknownst to them, her parents were hugging each other as well downstairs keeping themselves from crying, painfully aware of the heavy burdens on their daughter's shoulders.

~~~oOo~~~

''So…" Started Alya uncertainly after they silently held each other for minutes.

''So…?"

''Are you going to be there tonight?"

''What do you mean?"

''Equinox night. You know, with all the couples searching for each other… going after love, holding out their-„

''I am really not interested in the process, thank you. I don't even get it. I mean… you and Nino love each other without this ceremony or whatever. And it's not as you will fall in love with someone just because you choose each other on a stupid ceremony. Love is not like that."

''Oh the love-expert has spoken. You say all of this bullshit with little to zero love experience, and knowing you were such a sloppy romantic back in school it makes this even more ridiculous!" Alya was laughing at the end.

''Thank you for the reminder what a helpless little girl I was, but now I am an adult, and I have to be more realistic."

''You're not an adult in this matter, you are just bitter!" She smirked at her.

''No, I am not" Marinette retorted angrily.

''Yes, you are!"

''No, I am not!"

''Yes, you are~" Alya said to her in a sing-song tone and this was enough for Marinette to attack. She pinned down her best friend with her strength – even without Ladybug's power she was really strong – and started tickling her mercilessly.

''Stop! I…Mari! I can't… breath…" She whined between laughing.

''Then take it back!"

''Never!"

''Take it back!"

Alya really didn't want to take it back but she needed to breath. ''Okay! okay! Mercy on my poor soul dammit woman!"

Marinette stopped but still laughed as well as Alya. After the later caught her breath she sat up. ''Okay, you have a point there, you won't just fall in love right away after a ceremony. But most of the couples are already decided beforehand, so it's not like you really get paired up with some stranger."

''But the idea Alya, the idea!"

''Don't give me that crap. All what matters is how things actually work, not the idea behind them."

''Without ideas things wouldn't work!"

Alya crossed her arms front of her chest. ''That's your opinion. I have my opinion, deal with it."

For a moment they were staring at each other like wolves, waiting for who will give in first.

''Fine!" said Marinette in the end as she threw up her arms in the air.

''So you're coming?" Alya asked after she cheered over her victory.

''In fact, I am, but not for the ceremony."

''Then for what?" The brunette rose an eyebrow to her friend.

''I mean… I am coming for the ceremony just not as a participant."

''Of course you are!" Alya laughed at her as the bluenette looked at her puzzled and slightly annoyed, then the brunette continued. ''I heard you will attend the party as Ladybug, not as yourself silly."  
''Oh, so there is a rumor."

''How could not be a rumor? It concerns the famous vigilante of Entarossa!"

''I am not a vigilante!"

''Right, right, you are not. For people who know you. But every other people you are Ladybug! Hero of the southern war! Defender of good! Defeater of evil! Lady Luck herself!"

''Oh please, don't bring up that ridiculous nickname! Or any of this topic by the way"

''Okay, okay, I stop, but just because you are my bestest friend! You should give me a private interview now that you are home!"

''Alya, what do you don't understand on the term of 'secret mission'?"

''There should be still something you could share with a friend." Alya pouted.

Marinette looked at her and sighed. ''There are maybe some things I could share, but only things not related to the actual mission. Just some side works…"

''You're the best!" The brunette embraced her bluenette again with the brightest grin she had. ''So what are you going to wear?"

''What?"

''Marinette, you're invited to the Floating Castle. Even if you're doing as Ladybug, you should still wear something non-battle gear."

''About that…" She went to her bag and took out some bright red fabric. ''I still have my formal clothes from our graduation. I'll just give it some ladybug-ness, and that should be enough."

''Mari…"

''It'll look good on me and absolutely suitable for the occasion."

''Suitable maybe, but not sexy at all!"

''I am going there because I have to, not because I want to, especially not to seduce. I'll be not even there for the ceremony itself."

''You are no fun. You should put some more effort into finding somebody."

''I don't want to find anybody!"

''You should!"

''No, I don't!"

''Yes, you do!"

''That's your opinion. I have my opinion, deal with it."


	3. Chain of events

''You was right, it looks actually good on you." Alya said as she looked over her best friend. The white long tunic complimented her figure and the red trim and the golden accent made it elegant. The tightly tied red black polka dotted waist ribbon and the golden ladybug emblem what was tied with another red black polka dotted ribbon – a lot smaller and more delicate one than the other on her waist – gave a touch of her hero persona to the dress. It was pretty enough, and if it was a little longer, went down under her knees, had longer sleeves, and with different shoes – as Marinette opted to go with her battle-gear boots to make the torture of 'posing night' at least a little less uncomfortable – then it could be even breath-taking. Marinette was always good at making outfits, both civilian and military, but she tended to forget that in those days.

''I told you it would be alright. Now the only thing I need to be ready is the mask."

''Will you make that, too?" The brunette asked as she looked through all the things her best friend brought home from her 'educational trip'. The northern mountains were rich in rare crystals and minerals. There were so in many colors, from bright red through vivid green to deep ocean blue. Some of them – Alya guessed the rarest ones – were in little glass vials, many of them carved with symbols. There were also fine materials like ores uncommon to this place and Alya's eyes caught on some golden bars. ''That's actual gold?!"

''For the mask, no, Tikki will take care of it for me, it's safer that way for my identity, magic and all. And for the bars, yeah, that's gold." She said nonchalantly as she twirled around.

''Why do you have gold?" Alya asked bewildered.

''Actually I got those as royalty. There was an explosion in a gold mine near Whrehrnun, but knowing you, I feel like I don't really need to tell you about that." For this she received a grin from her friend. Of course, she already knew every detail what was humanly possible for someone who wasn't there.''So I was near and helped in the rescue mission."

''Helped? Please, you were the one who went down and got out most of them!" Stated the girl adamantly.

''Anyway… As payment for my bravery I got these."

''I can't really picture you to take them without putting up some fight. You don't usually accept any compensation or fee."

''That would ruin the idea behind the act. A hero doesn't save for money."

''But heroes can starve to death, too. But I know you. How did they manage to get you accept these?"

''They came with their crazy mountain myths, that if they don't honor the act, all the luck will leave them and never return! Such crazy bullshit!" Marinette gesticulated wildly with her arms.

''As crazy as it is they got what they wanted. You kept all of them?" Alya asked as she ran a finger across one of the golden bars.

''No, I actually made some deal with them and exchanged some of them to materials to my creations."

''It doesn't really sound like you. From what I know about you – and I know you pretty well – you would keep those filthy unholy payment bars to your death and gift them to the poor after you life on earth has ended."

''I was planing to do so." The bluenette scratched her left arm with the other one ashamed.

''But?"

''But they were heavy as hell, and I couldn't keep them without rising any suspicion. I am not Ladybug all the time, not even on missions, and seeing me with the exact amount of marked golden bars as my civilian self would have been damn suspicious!" She said the last part somewhat defeated.

''Oh girl, you are hopeless!" Alya laughed on her ridiculous best friend and embraced her in a warm hug. Marinette smiled and returned the gesture. As she looked guiltily at the golden sin of her, her eyes caught sight of something else.

''I almost forgot!" She freed herself from Alya's arms and quickly went to the pile of new things she brought home. The brunette gave her a questioning look as she rummaged though the pile and bought out a red metal box. ''This is for you!" She reached out and Alya tentatively took it from her.

''What's this?" She asked eyeing the box.

''Oh, come on! Just open it already!" Her friend grinned at her encouragingly.

She opened it and it held a little, delicate fox brooch with bright orange colors.

''Awww, Marinette! You shouldn't-''

''Yes, I should. It's only natural I give my best friend a gift when she is about to start her new life!" Her smile was so sincere it melted Alya's heart.

''Thank you, Mari! But I thought you hate foxes. Why did you get me one then?"

''I don't hate foxes-''

''Yes, you do."

''Anyway, your homeland's sacred creature is fox, so even if I have some bad memories from the terror fox it doesn't mean I can't give one to my bestie knowing how much she likes those filthy, I mean adorable creatures!"

Tikki peacefully watched the two girls' exchange from the bed and decided to keep quiet about the fact that she had to persuade Marinette to get the fox brooch as present for Alya, as she had knew she would love it. Marinette's dislike for the said animals or rather for the self-proclaimed representative was deep and unwavering. But in the end her love for her friend was even greater so she had gotten the jewelry for her.

''It's so pretty! Thank you! And it's from you, so it'll definitely bring good luck!" She said with a devilish smirk.

''So you keep me for my luck! How treacherous of you!" She pouted and gave a fake hurt expression.

''What can I say? I am a guilty sinner!" She said and winked at her. ''But now that you gave me this it's finally time I return the favor."

''What do you mean?"

''I got you something too." Alya smiled as she fished through her bag and pulled out a kerchief. Marinette eyed it, but didn't know what to expect. The brunette unfolded the small cloth and there was a little golden bell with a red ribbon.

''A cat-shaped bell?" Mari asked with a small but genuine smile as she took it and inspected the tiny bell with cat-ears.

''Yeah. You don't like it?"

''No it's not that!" She wildly gesticulated with her arms, taken off guard by the mere assumption. ''Just… Why?"

''In Felidera equinox is the holy night. The time that good and bad, light and dark, luck and bad-luck are equal and completely balanced. And as ladybugs are the sacred animals in Entarossa, cats are the unlucky spirit-gods of this place."

''Yeah, I know all of that, but why the bell?"

''You never spent equinox here, did you?"

''I did, but I was busy helping in the bakery each time. As festivals are always crowded we can sell at least double of the usual at those times, so every helping hand is needed."

''You're definitely right, but you never saw these before?"

''Hm, maybe… I didn't really have time to look."

''As always." Alya gave an unimpressed look, then continued ''So at this time of the year people wear these, 'cause they believe that as unlucky as black cats are, in this night they will actually bring good luck to them."

''So I should wear this tonight?" Mari asked as she was putting on the little bell with the ribbon around her left wrist.

''Probably. You don't want to disappoint your best friend after all, right?" Alya gave her puppy eyes.

''No, never, I'll definitely wear them for this night!"

''That's right, obey to your tiny godly cute master!"

''That would be me, actually." Said a little voice from the bed and they both looked at Tikki who smiled innocently at them. ''What?"

They all laughed, then Alya straightened herself and dusted her clothes from habit as she spoke. ''I am glad we could spend some time together before I become a married woman tonight and wound be forbidden to go out anymore."

''As they could stop you. Even I couldn't manage that with all my powers and luck." She grinned and received a mischievous smirk in return.

''You can bet on that! But really… I am glad you are here. And glad you will be there tonight when it happens." Alya smiled at her friend again, the happiness radiating from her as her thoughts lingered around the upcoming events of the night. ''But I should go now. I still need to get ready and get there, and I don't have a magical yo-yo to do so." She laughed and made her way to the trapdoor. ''So see you there Lady Luck!"

''Don't call me that!" Mari groaned.

''Okay, my dear vigilante!"

''You better watch your mouth, you filthy fox if you want to survive till you get married!" She yelled after her, but she already ran downstairs not wanting to face with an annoyed heroine, even if that heroine happened to be her best friend.

And she was extremely grateful that her best friend had no clue about feliderian equinox traditions.

~~~oOo~~~

''Ladybug! I am so glad you could make it!" The emperor greeted her warmly as she swung herself on board. The royal airship was hovering over the inner city walls near the Floating Castle. The view was breath-taking. Dozens of airships floated midair as the sun was about to set and variety of colors illuminated them and the huge castle in the center. The famous Floating Castle of Aithia, capital city of Felidera. Grand white and black marble walls with cryptic green glass ornaments like jewelries on a crown. Two huge cats guarding the entrance. The heavy sound of the mechanism what kept the massive building from the ground traveled through the air, bright green magic erupted from the bottom and some of the outer towers what belonged to the energy field with no doubt.

There used to be a statue from ancient times above the middle largest gate. A figure with human body but cat ears and tail, a sword in one hand and the other balled into fist menacingly. It had been called the Avenger. But after the mutual declaration of peace 300 year ago, the monument had been removed. Now its place was occupied by a third cat statue.

Lights were already on for the ceremony and the festival what followed after.

Amongst all the airships, Entarossa's royal sky-scratcher and Pavona's air-dancer stood out the most. The former being an active battleship with red metal steeling and canons, the only reminder that it was royal property and not a huge war-machine were the delicate golden accents and huge imperial golden crest on the front with the Coccinella symbol of luck in the middle.

The other being a delicate piece of art rather than a real airship. The propellers like delicate feathers and the body - what consisted from many singular balloons what were held together with strong ropes what looked like almost white lace – were a variety of blue from light baby blue to deep ocean blue and some well-placed white accents.

Ladybug only gave herself a few moments to take in the sight and memorize it for a latter occasion, before she turned her attention to the tall man standing in front of her. Entarossa's current emperor, third of his name, brave and compassionate, and definitely one of the weirdest person she ever met, Jagged Crocodile-heart Stone, The Luck-kissed.

His chill and kind nature and outstanding talent for music made him well-loved in both countries. He was known for being a miraculous peace-maker as he could easy any tense situations. There was just something about him that made you want to keep calm and befriend with him. Under his and his late-father's watchful eyes the relationship between the monarchies blossomed into a strong alliance, and kept growing even after the war ended.

At first she was intimidated by the royalty, but she had soon grown accustomed to the emperor's strange but certainly lovable antics.

''I am happy to see you in good health too, your Majesty!" She smiled and made a bow.

''Bug, no need for formalities here. You 're our hero, it's a honor to have you here!" He stepped closer and brought up one arm to her shoulder and gently squeezed it.''So are you ready to face the sharks?"

The ladybug heroine narrowed her eyes. ''Don't tell me you forced this on me just because you didn't want to attend alone to this boring people-pleasing party…"

''No, not exactly. I already have Thomas here with me for that. I have you here to draw attention and with that, boring conversation away from me."

''Are you using me as some scapegoat?" She said annoyed. ''How could you?!"

''Actually, it is a deal we made, and now you can't back out."

She just growled with intense annoyance in her voice.

''Bug, please! I'll make it up for you!" He gently begged for her taking both her hands in his.

''I won't back out." His face lit up hearing this ''But I won't promise I'll do that for you all night long. I have no more patience to small-talk blabbering than you, and I won't force myself to have this night either!"

''You're the best Bug! Now, shall we go?" He smiled at her and gave the signal to the ship to dock near to the front gate.

Ladybug sighed and braced herself for all the torture the night was holding in store for her.

~~~oOo~~~

''Welcome! Welcome! Come here my dear friend, long time no see!" Said King Roubur as he leapt closer to hug his friend.

''I am happy to see you too, old friend, but we had met only a month ago to discus about Papillonia." He hugged his friend back.

''Still too much, I had no one who played me music so superb like yours!" The King laughed loudly.

''What can I say? You always had a good taste, Roby!" He laughed two.

''And this must be the famous vigilante, Ladybug!" The king turned in her way with a happy smile. ''I have always wanted to meet you in person after all the stories I heard about you."

''I am glad you are happy your Highness, but with all the respect, I am not a vigilante." She said with a tired smile.

''Is that so? Jag, I didn't hear that you were finally successful in recruiting this hero of yours!" He grinned.

''Because I wasn't. Ladybug wants to do things in her own way, so she never considered to officially join us. To tell you the truth, in the last year I had barely seen her. She was always away, had some things to do in the northern mountains or something."

Hearing this the king turned back to the woman with questioning look. ''Then you're still a vigilante after all?" He asked unsure.

''I work with the authorities as much as I can." She said defensively already knowing she couldn't win this argument. Not without revealing things she shouldn't.

''You hardly take any orders, you only take advice Bug. That's the definition of being a vigilante."

''Fine, I am a vigilante then!" She huffed in defeat.

''But a really good one!" Said the emperor reassuringly to lift the suddenly tense mood. Ladybug sighed and gave a smile. She was introduced to the other members of the group, like Captain Roger, chief of the king's guard and Chancellor Damocles, Adviser of the king. As they walked though the castle and were showed around, the two ruler had a heartened discussion about how the modern inventions could be blend into music and help it rise to a completely new level. She turned to the Chancellor and asked.

''How is that those two are such a good friends?"

''Oh that's an old story really." Lord Damocles said, but as he saw the disappointment on the heroine's face, he decided to continue. ''As a kid his Highness went to school in Entarossa for some years. The kingdom could manage without him, he had two brothers at the time, so as third child he had been sent to the central empire's royal academy – just the best for a prince of course - to learn its ways and acquire all the unknown skills or technique what was possible. He soon became friends with the country's crown-prince however, and refused any spying, instead was determined to make the two families' bond stronger. His father was no fan of the Entarossian Empire and frowned upon his kid newfound friendship with the country's first in the line, but had other things to worry about so he let the kids be.

Things got complicated when his second brother killed his first brother, hier of the throne and tried the same to their father. His coup d'état was cut short as the king himself with his loyal knights captured him. His father wanted the execute him on the scene, but his wife, the queen managed to calm him enough to make the punishment 'only' condemnation and exile."

''So he's still alive somewhere out there, possibly planing another dethronement?"

''I can't tell anything for sure about his well-being or whereabouts, but I am sure he'll have a hard time taking the throne now. After all his Highness has more than one heirs and he has no allies inside of these borders."

''And outside?" She asked hitting a very serious tone.

''I don't think so…" He contemplated with the idea. ''But I am only familiar with the conditions within this country, I am at lose when it comes to other lands' own affairs. But who would be willing to help and give the not so slight amount of backing what it takes to bring down a strong country from outside?" He smiled at her proudly and reassuringly.

''You are definitely right on that." She returned the smile. ''So his two brothers were gone and he became king?"

''His father wasn't pleased with the idea, but he had to bring stability as soon as it was possible, so he needed legitimate heir who'll continue the line, and the connection's of his Highness came in handy as they guaranteed not just that Entarossa wouldn't take advantage of the situation, but that other wouldn't dare as well."

''And after the old king died nothing stood in the way for a stronger alliance and their childhood friendship?" She smiled.

Lord Damocles chuckled. ''Something like that."

As they went through the hallways, people who wanted to talk to her popped out one after another and her patience with this night suddenly ran very thin. She just needed only one chance to get away without them notice, and the opportunity presented itself when a new face drew all the attention. She didn't hesitated and fled from the group and ran as fast as she could down a marble staircase.

If she waited just a few moments or at least looked at the man who attracted all the attention, she would have seen that Master Fu walked towards them in all his high-end formal Grand Master clothes and was looking for her.

''Did you see Ladybug anywhere? I thought she would be with you. I wanted to give her some new medicine I was working on." Said the old man as he scratched his beard.

''She was here just a moment ago." The emperor said as he was looking around but didn't find his companion anywhere. ''I hope she didn't get lost."

''Relax, friend! Even if she was I think she can manage herself. Somebody will surely show her the way to the Great Hall. After all, everyone is heading there." The king smiled at him and gave a friendly hit on his shoulder. His friend was still worried so he added. ''But of course, I send some of my knights after her to guide her way back!" And he gestured to three of his knights to go and search after the girl.

''Is it alright with you too, Master Fu?" Asked the still worried man.

''Yes. I think I can wait till we meet at the Hall." The old man's expression was faraway and he stared into nothing in particular for a moment. He felt something was about to happen, but he couldn't decide it was a good or a bad thing just yet. He shook his head in the end and they continued they tour through the castle.

~~~oOo~~~

''Where could Master Fu be? These hallways are the same no matter how much I look at them." Ladybug groaned as she ran circles. She had not the best sense of directions and wasn't familiar with this place at all, so losing her way and suffering like an idiot was bond to happen. Suddenly she saw a young man with chocolate skin and short dark-brown hair who wore a cloak what was reserved for scientific mechanicers of the castle. Even if she was fairly clueless about anything else, wearing a cloak like that was part of her dreams at some point so she recognized it right away. He should be an acquaintance to this place – she thought – so she decided to ask where is the Great Hall, that was where Master Fu should be.

''Excuse me sir!" She started earning the attention of the man. ''Could you please tell me where I can find the Great Hall?" The girl smiled sheepishly at him. He furrowed her brows and looked at the heroine from tip to toe. She was wearing a strange clothes, one he didn't recognize. She had the mask of the famous vigilante as well as a ladybug emblem at her collarbones, but many people copied celebrities and if she is from Entarossa, then it was only be natural to have a coccinelle emblem as it brought good luck. In the end what brought him to a conclusion was the little golden cat-bell at her left wrist.

That good-luck charm was meant to people who were looking for love this night. Whatever reason she was looking for the Hall, she had to mean the place where the other love-stuck idiots were. So according to this thought he answered. ''You are now in the left wing of the castle, little far from the Great Hall, but if you keep going that way-'' He pointed to the other direction. ''you should be able to find it."

''Thank you!" She smiled at him, happy relief bubbling up in her then she ran in the direction the man pointed at a moment before.

For a moment vice-chief of M.S., Max Kanté thought that it could be nice finding someone to love each other after all.

~~~oOo~~~

''I see there are many of love seekers for this year." Smiled Master Fu down at the high-spirited crowd of young adults waiting for the matchmaking ritual to begin.

''The mood 's definitely high down there!" The king smirked with glee and took in the sight proudly. ''All the youngsters will make this country even greater than it's now!"

''I hope our alliance will out stand your greatness!" The emperor said jokingly and earned an elbowing from his friend.

''We will see that." He smirked at him.

A tall man in white suit stepped closer the the two and after a moment he made his presence known with a little cough. The two men turned in his direction. ''Your Highness, I'm glad I find you in good health." He turned to the Emperor now. ''As well for your Majesty."

''Do you remember Gabriel Agreste, right?" The king asked gesturing to the man in question who frowned upon the somewhat rude behavior. ''He makes the best armors and weapons you could find!"

''Of course. He was the one who made some of our equipment as well." The lilac-haired man smiled at him and nodded as greeting.

''Along with your mysterious mechanic!" The king threw an arm around the emperor's shoulders. ''Tell me about them, I was always curious. You have so many talented people you're hiding from me!"

''I would like to hear about that mysterious person as well." Said Gabriel honestly. From the moment he got a glimpse of the drafts and designs they made he had became really curious about them.

''As much as I want to tell you about them, I am no closer to their identity than you. They want to remained unknown, so Ladybug's the one who brings us the drafts and prototypes time to time. She's the only connection we've with them."

''The vigilante girl?" Gabriel asked with a slight disbelief and a little reproachfully.

''Yeah, that's the one!" Said the emperor ignoring the unpleasant tone of the man and remained cheerful. He didn't want to get into an argument after he successfully angered their heroine. For some unknown reason to him she hated being called a vigilante and he knew that, but couldn't stop people calling her that even for once. At the beginning of their acquaintance she took it pretty well – of course it had always annoyed her – but as time went she didn't get used to it, the best she could do was a tired smile, but he could see it really bothered her for some reason.

But before the conversation could go any further on this subject Gabriel eyes fell on the small old man. ''Grand Master Fu."

''Lord Agreste, I am happy to see you in good health. Are you here for your son? He's at the age, isn't he?" He said politely with a small smile, but the tension was overbearing between them.

The man in white answered, his eyes and words ice-cold. ''Yes, indeed I am here for my son, so would you excuse me? I think I should go and check on him."

''Of course, go get your boy!" The king said ushering him in the direction from where he came before.

Master Fu frowned after the man, then looked down at the crowd again. He saw the young man in question. He awkwardly fidgeted and looked almost hopeless as he was looking around in the Hall. He sighed to himself, pitying the poor boy. Would it be different if his mother was still around, he wondered…

~~~oOo~~~

''Where could it be…" Ladybug walked around nervously. Her Marinette-awkwardness started to show. Even after that young man had sent her in the right direction, somehow she still got lost. ''ARGGH" She made an inhuman voice and pulled on her hair. ''How could I be this bad at directions?!"

In a flash something blue flew away above her head. She followed it with her eyes. As she looked at the marble railing at the side a beautiful blue bird looked back at her.

''A paradise bird?" She asked no one in particular. Paradise birds were well-known from their intelligence and elegance. They were similar to peacocks, but smaller in size and with better flying abilities. Many people kept them as pets, but their nature wasn't the best and they weren't the friendliest creatures in the world. They could be stubborn, proud and arrogant. If you didn't show them respect you were dead in their eyes. It wan't that strange that a bird like this was in the castle. The strange thing was why it was here? Usually they avoided strangers like her.

''Why are you here Beautiful?"

The bird proudly straightened itself.

''Are you a girl?"

For this he gave an unimpressed look.

''Sorry. Then a boy I guess."

He nodded.

''Are you… Ah, forget it, why would you know-'' She didn't dare to finish that sentence, because the bird gave her a murderous glare. ''-okay… so… perhaps you know the way to the Great Hall?" She asked uncertainly.

For this the bird looked like he sighed – can bird even do that? – and took off into the air. Before Ladybug could move with speed of lightning he grabbed the golden bell from her left wrist and flew off.

Her mouth hung open in shock, then she came to her senses. ''You damn bird, give that back! It's from my best friend!" She yelled after him in vain then took off and ran as fast as she could manage. ''You will regret this, you hear me?!"

~~~oOo~~~

After five minutes of running she finally caught up to the bird and as she was about to capture it, he just dropped the bell on the floor and disappeared.

''What to hell was that?" She said and she reached for the bell and put it back to its rightful place. Then she heard voices and as she turned in their direction she saw actual people for the first time in half an hour. They looked desperate for some reason, but she had no other option as who to ask, so she drew closer and tried to speak up. ''Um… Excuse me…" But before she could say anything more three heads snapped in her direction.

''She's finally her!" Cheered one of them.

She got nervous from all the sudden and uncomfortable attention, so she turned around hoping she was not the one it was directed, but for her utmost dismay she was the only one in the hallway.

''…me?" She asked as a last attempt for an answer of no, but she had to suffer from her luck again.

''Yes you! We were looking for you! You're just in time! Get inside quickly!"

''Where?" She wanted to run, but the three men closed around her and they were dragging her in the direction of a huge door.

''What do you think? To the Great Hall of course! The ceremony is about to start!"

As she processed with what he said, she stopped fidget against them and relaxed. ''Oh, it's that way?"

''Yeah, yeah, now get inside or you'll be late!" One of them pushed her through the door and closed it behind her.

''Oh man, we just barely made it! What would have happened to us if the young master's bride didn't get inside before the ritual started?"

''Yeah, it's a relief. But… are you sure she was the right one? I mean… she was not exactly like in the description."

''What do you mean?" The man who had ushered her through the door before asked and paled.

''She had blue eyes, the boss' bride shouldn't have gray?"

''Love can make description more vivid, right? Blue sound better than gray after all!" He laughed nervously.

Suddenly another man entered the hallway with a dark haired, gray-eyed beauty. He motioned to the huge door and she ran that way, but before she entered, she stopped and muttered a quick apology. ''Sorry guys, I got lost, and this kind gentleman had to escort me here!" Then she pushed through the door and disappeared.

''That was…"

''The young master's bride…"

''Why are you guys so pale?" Asked the shorter man as he was holding a list in one hand.

''We… may made some random girl enter the ceremony."

''What was her name? I can check if she should be in there or not."

''Are you the gatekeeper?"

''Yeah, I am in charge to check who enters, but I saw from here that some lady was wandering around in the hallways, so I went after her and escorted her here. It didn't take more than a few minutes."

''Thank goodness, you saved our skins buddy!" Sighed the three man in unison.

''But what girl you were talking about? She maybe shouldn't be in there."

''Um, we might didn't ask her name…"

''Urgh." The gatekeeper face-palmed and directed an angry look at them.

''But she was here in the castle at equinox night, she was wearing a love-luck bell and she seemed to calm down when we mentioned the Great Hall and the ceremony!"

The other two nodded simultaneously. ''Yeah, yeah, she was lost and looking for the ceremony for sure!"

The short man sighed. ''I really hope you're right, because no one can get her out from there now. Just the qualified can enter and not one of us is that."

''It was strange though. She had that mask and a ladybug emblem on her. That reminds me of something, but I can't put my finger on it."

''A ladybug emblem?"

''And that ladybug themed mask."

The gatekeeper's eyes widened to an unnatural size. Suddenly three knight rushed into the hallway and ran straight to them.

''Did you see a girl with with dark blue-ish hair and bluebell eyes? She's The Ladybug, and we should find her and bring her to the Great Hall's upper floor immediately! The royalties are waiting for her!"

The three man and the gatekeeper slowly looked at each other. Then one of them whispered.

''Holy shit."

~~~oOo~~~

She was standing in the entrance of the Great Hall, but she didn't know if she was in the right place. As she had entered she had found herself in front of an energy field. She had recognized its nature. It had been the selective type that doesn't allow you to enter if you are not qualified. But it had turned out that she could go through it without any problem, and now she was standing here, in a crowded entrance.

Emperor Jagged or the king nowhere to be found, and a no went to Master Fu as well. She didn't see any at least slightly familiar face.

She didn't know what to do. People walked past her without paying her any attention, so she didn't feel herself so out of place. Suddenly loud trumpets could be heard and the crowd like chaos in order started to move. And then she saw it.

In the men's right hands there were luminous crystals. So bright. So beautiful. She was fascinated right away and was drawn to them. She drew closer to inspect them, but everyone ignored her and she couldn't get a good access to any of them.

~~~oOo~~~

''Hey" Said King Roubur abruptly in the middle of the conversation they had as they were following the matchmaking ritual with their eyes. ''Isn't that your girl?"

''What?" Emperor Jagged leaned forward and as he followed where his friend was pointing at and his eyes widened.

Master Fu looked there just in time to see the small and oh so familiar girl appear and disappear as the crowd moved.

''That'll be definitely interesting." He mumbled as he caught sight from the corner of his eyes of another, and he looked at the awkward blond youngster. They were getting closer and closer to each other. And as the blond looked in her direction, his gaze locked on her and never left. ''Fate has some strange ways for sure." He sighed and then smiled to himself. His smile turned into a grin as he looked at the two helpless rulers who didn't know what to do, and his grin turned into a devilish smirk when he saw the tall white suited man's reaction to the inevitable.

~~~oOo~~~

Those crystals would be perfect for experiments. She had to inspect one and find a way to make them herself. The energy vibrating from them was evident and she wanted it. Wanted it so much. For some reason she lost herself in their gleaming light. She went here, she went there, dancing around, oblivious to her surrounding.

She didn't notice when the blond man's gaze locked on her.

She didn't notice the two ruler trying to catch her attention with wild desperate arm motions.

She didn't notice when a brunette caught sight of her and her eyes widened to the size of serving plates.

She only noticed when she bumped into something… or rather someone.

Her heart caught in her throat as he looked up at the solid wall in front of her. Those green eyes. So green. Like real emeralds. She could lose herself in them for hours.

Then a blue glowing crystal came to her vision and she immediately looked at it. It was so beautiful. Just looking at it made her happy. But she wanted more. This one was blue, she noted. Maybe the same hue as her eyes?

The crystal abruptly came to her face. She looked up to the man. He seemed to want to show it to her. She couldn't pass this chance. She took the crystal and it turned out it was a sprout, because as soon as she grabbed it, it blossomed into an even more beautiful rose.

A blue rose just like her eyes. It was beautiful, but it wasn't a perfect-shaped crystal anymore, and it would be hard to experiment on it, so she decided to give it back.

But as she was about to do that, she didn't find the hand she took it from. The man had already withdrawn his arm, so she thought he gave it to her for some reason. It was a ball or something, maybe it was a custom here?

She looked up at the wide-eyed man uncertainly, but decided it was the best to thank him. She had no better idea after all.

''Thank…you?" She said, and the man slowly nodded eyes and mouth still agape.

At that time almost everyone except them had noticed the two men upstairs yelling at them and gesturing to stop, and every people up and down the hall were looking at them by now.

A blonde girl huffed and turned around giving a stern look to a red-haired teal-eyed boy. ''Okay, you have two options. One, you give me that crystal of yours or two, live miserable for the rest of your life in a living hell." She said, deadly calm.

''Um…" The man couldn't say anything just held out his arm with the crystal to her and she took it without hesitation. It slowly, but surely blossomed into a sunflower.

''Good boy."

An old man hummed on the balcony barely hiding a smirk.

A gleeful shriek sounded from a woman in white. ''YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!"

And an uncontrollable hyena laugh came from a brunette from down there.

Everyone else were dead silent.

Still oblivious to any of that, the heroine asked. ''So… Can I keep this?"

''…wife" The blond man could only mutter out this much.

''What?" She asked with a puzzled look.

The single laughter became even loader.


	4. Attack

''So… just to make things clear… You went to look for Grand Master Fu… when he just walked up to us?" Asked King Roubur confused. In the last half an hour the king gathered everyone who were somehow connected to the events of the night as well as Master Fu and the Castle's head-priest who was in charge of the sacred matchmaking ritual.

''As it turns out…'' Answered Ladybug embarrassed.

''Then Vice-chief Kanté assumed you are one of the participants and gave you the wrong direction?"

The man in question gulped and lifted his arms in the air defensively. ''She was wearing a lovely dress and that love-luck charm made it seem like so!"

''Love-luck charm?" She asked puzzled.

''The golden cat-bell!" Max pointed right at the item on her left wrist.

''What? The person who gave me this said it's a simple charm for equinox!"

''As simple as it is, this particular charm is for people who seek love in this night." Master Fu said eyeing the bell.

''Alya…" Ladybug mumbled under her breath. It was her shaming again, she should have known!"

''You know, you could have just asked her instead of judge the situation from her appearance." Chimed in the Emperor.

Max lowered his head in shame.

''Then-'' Continued the king. ''you got lost again, but some random bird-''

''Paradise bird." She clarified.

''-paradise bird took the bell and led you to the entrance where you ran into these gentlemen?" He finished his sentence while looking at the men.

''Yes, your Highness." She replied patiently.

''And they pushed you in without asking your name or what were you doing there?"

''We was in hurry! The young master's bride went missing and the ceremony was about to begin, and we searched through every hallway, but couldn't find her! When we saw this girl we immediately thought she was the one. According to the description we received she was really similar!" One of the men was rambling and he stopped only when the king signaled him to do so.

''And the gatekeeper left his place to escort the said lady after he saw her wandering around desperately." It was a statement rather than a question.

''I am so sorry, your Highness! I shouldn't have done that! I should have stayed in my place! But almost everyone uses the main gate to the Great Hall on the other side and I barely had any work to do there! Seeing the lady so desperate I felt I have to help her! I will resign from my post!" The man was almost crying at the end.

''No need for that. You are the least to blame for the current situation." The king comforted him with a smile then continued again. ''So you Lady, how got you lost in the first place?"

He turned towards the now-wife of 'the young master', and she smiled at him sheepishly and slightly embarrassed.

''I wanted to see one last time my father before I become a married woman. I succeeded to do so, but got lost on my way back."

The king just hummed then looked at his knights. ''And you were late because one of you stopped to flirt with one of the maids."

The knight in question just gulped.

''So if Master Fu joined us sooner…" He looked at Fu." or if Vice-chief Kanté would asked instead of assuming," Gave a stern look to the man in cloak who sank in his place ''or if a random troublemaker bird didn't steal the bell,'' The king brought a hand to his face ''or if this Lady didn't get lost," The lady in question shrunk ashamed ''or if the gatekeeper stayed in place," He was nearly crying ''or if one of these gentlemen asked or would have noticed the differences in the two ladies sooner,'' They tried to disappear into the floor ''or if my knights didn't stop to flirt and arrived in time,'' Roubur said this part quiet annoyed ''or if that friend didn't misinformed her about the bell," She cursed Alya under her breath again ''or if one of us have noticed it before," Chancellor Damocles scratched the back of his neck nervously ''or if Ladybug would just look before she sneaked off or she wouldn't be absolutely clueless about the matchmaking ritual" The king took a deep breath ''this whole situation wouldn't have happened in the first place?" He asked incredulously.

''When you put it like this… '' She couldn't believe it herself. ''It's quiet a bunch of coincidences."

''Coincidence? It sounds like rather fate to me!" Yelled one of the knights who got an elbow into his rib-cage right away.

''Don't use the f-word! It's just… a straight line of coincidences…not fate." She tried to argue, but with every word she lost confidence.

''Sorry to say this, but one is an incident, two is a coincidence and three is a pattern, Bug." Emperor Jagged hummed while scratching his beard.

''And it's way over three. It's like..what? Eleven at least! It's like the universe wanted you two together!" Said Nino with a sing-song voice at the end.

''Oh, please! Why would the universe want us together? I don't even know this guy!" She pointed accusingly at Adrien who frowned. He just wanted to get out of all this matchmaking nonsense, not bring trouble on his head more. ''Why did he even offer me the crystal?"

''To be fair, I didn't offer it to you, I just wanted to show it to you." He said calmly.

''As if I would believe you." She pouted and turned away.

He frowned at her, but said nothing.

''So how will we deal with this… incident? Accident?" The Emperor asked, completely clueless.

''We just need to annul this whole marriage thing. There should be some way to do so, right?" Ladybug turned to Master Fu and the head-priest for answer.

''I have to agree. There is no way my son will have this filthy girl with no background, say more, an outlaw vigilante as his wife!"

She and some other people winced hearing the harsh statement. For some reason Adrien instinctively stood between his father and his new wife surprising both of them.

''I won't allow you to call our national hero that, you hear me!" The Emperor took a step closer to Gabriel, but was stopped by the king.

''Lord Agreste, I would appreciate it if you abstained from insulting my dear guests and keep your opinion about them to yourself." Said King Roubur with no room for argument.

The man in question was silent for a moment then calmly excused himself and left the throne room.

The whole room became tense, nobody said a word. Adrien never saw his father this angry before. His manners and demeanor were always flawless. But now for some reason he couldn't help himself. Was this famous hero really that bad that he couldn't and wouldn't stand even the idea of their marriage? Or he had some unknown, hidden reason? Either way… he somehow felt a little pleased that something didn't go the way his father wanted. And he even compromised himself in front of the king! It was just too good to be true. He was pulled out from his satisfaction when he heard his new wife speak up again.

''So there should be a way, a solution for our problem. I can't be married." She said firmly.

''Do you already have someone you love perhaps?" Asked the head-priest a little worried. Adrien's heart sunk. He couldn't be this unlucky that his wife already loved someone else. The long-buried romantic side of him felt hurt from the idea that his love-life was cursed to this extent.

''It's not like that." Ladybug blushed and muttered under her breath.

''Then what's the problem?" Asked the head-priest again.

''I can't be married. I have my responsibilities."

''I'm sorry to say this-'' he wasn't really sorry at all, his mocking tone made it clear ''-but we can't annul your marriage to Sir Adrien Agreste. I would say it's already too late but according to your story, there wasn't even a time it was possible after you accepted the crystal sprout."

''What do you mean?" She narrowed her eyes.

''With a matchmaking ritual like this even in Felidera sometimes it happens that two people who chose each other are incompatible. In a case like that there is a grace period. The two of them can increase their compatibility, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. So to not keep them stuck together for a lifetime and give them the opportunity for happiness, we break the magical bond between them that the ritual created."

''Then what's the problem?" She was confused as well as the others excluding magical experts like Master Fu, the head-priest and Aunt Amalie. They just let out an exasperated sigh to the others' lack of knowledge.

''This 'opportunity' remains only as long as the magic seal on you isn't completed. When it's completed there is no way to break it. The greater your compatibility as soulmates the faster the seal is formed and completed."

''And?" They still didn't get it and now the old priest was on the edge from their incomprehension, so Master Fu decided the pick up from here.

''You, both of you-'' He pointed at the two youngsters ''-said that the sprout blossomed immediately after Ladybug took it."

''Yeah, that took like… two seconds or something?" Said the young knight still clueless as well.

''I see none of you are an expert on this subject so I'll help you understand.'' He sighed and begun. "In average it takes at least a few minutes to a crystal sprout to blossom. Most of the couples need time to know each other, understand each other and get use to each other. To get in harmony and in perfect balance they need to learn, improve some parts and rub down others of their personality. This way they come to create a perfect whole out of the two halves. Couples whose sprout opens within a minute called blessed, couples whose sprout opens within ten seconds called fated. And in your chase, whose blossomed right away in a blink of an eye… I would say you were made for each other."

''But how is that even possible? You just said couples need to learn and improve together to reach that level!" Ladybug said incredulously.

''In case of soulmates this is a little different. What one lacks in them the other has and visa versa. Even as you will improve you two will always complete each other."

''So there is no way to get out from this?" Her eyes widened with shock.

Master Fu face-palmed while Aunt Amalie gave a pitying smile to the girl, but smirked on the inside. Head-priest Jaqen wasn't this patient and grabbed the right hands of both youngsters and raised them to their faces to make his point. ''For Miraculia! Look your insolent child!" The symbols of the seal glowed with pink-red light on Ladybug's and with green on Adrien's arm. "The bond have been completed already. Unbreakable for now and for ever, and if none of you have plans to die soon this will remain this way for a while!" He shouted angrily then dropped their limbs and walked away, muttering under his breath things like 'insolent fools' and 'uneducated brats' and left the room.

He let out an angry howl as he bumped into Alya, who were eavesdropping from the other side. Nino was allowed to be in the room as the 'husband's best friend', but no matter how much she begged she was left out in the hallway for her greatest dismay.

Her best friend gave her an unimpressed look, then turned back to the others to say something, but before she could say anything, an electricity ran through her as well as Master Fu. They looked at each other in horror, because that could only mean one thing.

Another miraculous was activated.

''Volpina?'' She asked, expression serious.

''No… this ominous presence… It's something far worse than Volpina." Fu said as cold ran down his spine.

''What do you mean? Who could it be if not Volpina?"

''Later. Now I should go. You take the castle." Said the Master and without another word he started to run leaving the others behind.

She turned towards the king, voice stern. ''Energy shields up and evacuate the castle immediately!"

''What?! For what?" Asked Roubur incredulously.

''Just do it mate, Bug has this sixth sense for danger. The sooner we do as she said the better." The Emperor encouraged his friend then turned to his guard, who understanding the situation ran to the balcony and fired off the warning signal to the airship. The code fries flew into the air, giving the exact message and the ship started to dock immediately. ''Of course, it depends on that you want to save your people or not."

The king contemplated his options, but in the end grimaced and shouted from the top of his lungs. ''Warning signals out! Shield up! Evacuate the castle!"

Two soldiers ran to the balcony as well and gave out the signals to the defense towers and docks as another ran to the emergency room, pushed a button and pulled a handle to activate the emergency protocol and energy shields.

The signals flew up, the shield began to emerge but it was too late.

With a loud crash and tremor the castle started to fall over.

''What's happening?" Yelled the king as everybody reached for something to cling to.

''Your Highness!" A soldier ran into the throne room and fell as the trembling got stronger. ''The Floating Castle's energy field is dropping!"

''Who attacked us?" The king demanded answer.

One of the knights looked outside through the east-side windows and said on a faint voice. ''Darkness."


	5. Invasion

In one of the outboard defensive towers an older guard was sitting on his post peacefully and drunk his coffee, when a young boy ran through the door with such a force that he slammed himself into the older man, completely ruining his night and uniform.

''What's your problem kid?!" He pushed up himself from his seat eyeing the damage the youngster caused. His clothes were drenched in coffee to his dismay.

The other still tried to catch his breath as he made an attempt to speak. ''The sig…the signal…went out. The emergency protocol entered into force! The shield must be up! Now!"

The guard couldn't believe his ears. The castle was under attack? By who? It didn't make sense. But as he looked out from the tower he saw the other guards started to pull up the shield. This was no joke! He ran to the phone and called the floor below. ''Emergency code red! Start the generators! The shield must be up!"

The workers on the lower floor started to shovel coal to the boiler and the machine came to life with a loud hiss. Energy buzzed through the walls and the shield begun to emerge.

But before it could be completed and closed around the castle the watch noticed something dark in the horizon.

Something like a dark cloud, but lot faster and loader like a swarm of insects entered the view and approached with a crazy speed.

''Faster! Faster! Faster!" Shouted through the phone the guard, but it was too late.

The dark cloud crashed into the half-completed shield causing a tremor to run across the entire castle. The darkness covered the energy field, moving fast, getting through the semi-finished shield's openings. The darkness like living smoke twirled inside and as it came in contact with the building dissolved into separated branches and attacked dozen of windows and entrances.

~~~oOo~~~

''Your Highness! The enemy is inside and it seems it tries to reach the levitator complex's core. If that goes down the entire castle falls as well!" Shouted a messenger through the door.

''How is the evacuation going?" Asked the king.

''The staff is trying to gather and lead the guests to the emergency exits, but the devices are still in preparation. We need more time."

''There is no more time, we need to act now!"

''Where is the core?" Asked a voice suddenly and everybody turned to Ladybug. ''I go there and try to stop this thing."

''I know the way let's go!"Adrien said and immediately took of towards the door, Ladybug in tail.

Everyone knew it was dangerous as hell going alone, but the king didn't have the luxury to send his knights down to fight with an unknown and probably really dangerous enemy when they were needed here. And if the enemy was beatable the one who could do the most was the famous vigilante. And if it's not… well. He didn't want to think about that.

''I have to go now my friend. What will you do?" The Emperor looked at his friend with worry.

''I need to stay until the evacuation is over. I can't leave people behind."

''You were always like this." Jagged gave a warm smile to Roubur. ''Take care, mate!" He embraced him and with his attendances and knights exited the throne room as well.

The king took his place on the throne and started to get everything in order and motion as much as he could.

~~~oOo~~~

''So Nathaniel… '' Lord Bourgeois started. ''What do you do for a living?"

''I am an artist." Nathaniel said nervously. The previous half an hour was the most awkward half an hour of his life that he could remember. He couldn't imagine it could be any worse. He took a sip from his drink.

''So an artist. Would you earn enough money with that to raise at least half dozen children?" He spat all his drink out. He was wrong, it definitely could be worse.

''Papa, what are you talking about? There is no way I would give birth to that many children. Think about all the pain I have to endure for that!" Chloe narrowed her eyes and shivered from the thought. Nathaniel was the same but from entirely different thoughts.

''If you give birth to twins or triplets you just have to endure it two or three times." He smiled happily.

''Papa, I am serious. I won't have that many kids. Maybe it's not even possible for me. Maybe we can't have any after two kids." She said, arms crossed in front of her.

''You just need to keep trying, right Nathaniel?" He gave a pat to the boy on the back who became crimson red just like Chloe.

''Don't say things like that, it's embarrassing!" She snapped at her father.

Lord Bourgeois raised his hands defensively. ''Honey, it's nothing embarrassing about this. You two are married now. It's only natural to think about your intim-life too."

Chloe was taken aback and couldn't utter a word from the utmost embarrassment her father gave her in front of her husband. She stole a glance at Nathaniel, but it proved to be the wrong decision as their eyes met and it just made everything worse.

Suddenly they found themselves in the middle of an apocalypse.

The guards ran into the room and were trying to evacuate the Great Hall, where after the matchmaking ritual was over, people remained and engaged into conversation now with friends and relatives as well. The staff were just started the process when the tremor ran across the hall and people started to panic. Chaos erupted and ignoring the guidance of the guards, almost everyone started to ran without giving much thought to where and how.

They started to move with the crowd, when suddenly a man ran into Chloe, and she came to a halt and started to turn around frantically. ''My necklace you filthy bastard!"

Nath was about to grab her arm and drag her out, but in the next moment something stopped him in his attempt.

A dark creature slammed into the hall in a form that remained them for a wolf. The being growled and took a few steps closer to them.

''My necklace!" Chloe shouted as she spotted her belonging under the monster and without hesitation moved to get it.

''Wow, wow, wow! Chloe, leave that stupid necklace!" He ran after her, but when he reached out to get a hold on her, the lady jumped up and gave a round-house kick to the monster right to its face.

''Move, you bastard!"

The dark wolf groaned then growled to the woman, but then with an evil smirk took the jewelry to its mouth.

''You…!" Chloe snarled and was about to step into action again when Nath finally succeeded to grab her arm and tried to pull her with him.

''Come on Chloe, it isn't worth it!"

She slowly turned her head and his blood ran cold.

''That necklace is from my mother who died, I won't let go of it. And you hubby-'' She now grabbed his arm and with a twirl on her feet and swing of her body created momentum for Nath. ''You will help to get it back!" And she threw him right to the monster.

He could only scream before he crashed into the shadow creature what took the being by surprise. He saw Chloe was running towards them and the monster wanted to attack her, so he grabbed its neck with all the strength he had and pulled it upwards.

Chloe slid under the creature and grabbed her necklace and as she came out behind the wolf, she pulled its tail. This distracted it long enough for Nathaniel to get away. He then got a hold of her hand and pulled her towards the exit.

More shadow creatures entered to the hall and as Chloe looked back she saw that the wolf muttered 'bitch' and smirked at her. She snarled and turned back, but Nathaniel wasn't going to give her another chance to throw a tantrum and lifted her to his shoulder and ran.

''Let me go! That fucking mongrel just insulted me!"

''Not a chance! I just got married, I am not about to become a widow!"

No matter how much she screamed and protested he had a firm grip on her. Knights appeared from the hallway, ran past them and took on the monsters. With his chance he made his way to one of the emergency exits.

Huge doors opened up on the side of the castle and giant spearguns targeted the ground and city walls. After they were ready, Captain Roger gave out the order to shoot. The huge constructions fired and big anchors attacked to thick wires flew out. They checked if the wires were safe enough, then another tremor went through the castle.

''We have to hurry! We don't know how long can we keep the emergency wires steady!" Captain Roger yelled out to the crowd and one by one they stepped forward to be put in safety harness and carabiner to be safely lowered to the ground.

''My princess!" Lord Bourgeois yelled as he ran up the the two youngsters.

''Papa!" Chloe hugged his father.

''I was so worried! Where have you been my little angel?"

''Oh, just some stupid monsters tried to take Mama's necklace, but don't worry, I beat it, and got the necklace back!" She grinned and held up the jewelry proudly. Nathaniel quietly muttered that he was there as well.

''Honey. No matter how much you treasure that necklace it doesn't worth your life. Don't risk it ever again!"

''But-''

''No buts!" He raised his voice, but quickly regretted it and added. ''Just stay safe my dear. You promise?"

Chloe huffed. ''…yes Papa."

''That's my girl!" He smiled.

The evacuation went smoothly at the emergency exits and it was Lord Bourgeois turn. He protested that her daughter should go first, but Captain Roger left no room for any argument and sent him down first.

When she was next, Chloe starred down at the enormous height and took a step back. ''I…I won't go down there!" She whispered, terror in her voice. But as she took another step back, she bumped into a firm chest.

''You can do it!" Said Nath and stood in her way to prevent her from running away.

''No I can't! It's too high!" She shrieked.

''Yes, you can!"

''No, I can't!"

Nathaniel started to become really annoyed.

''We will go down just like the others."

''You go, I stay."

''No, you go first."

''No, I won't take a step from here."

The building begun to tremble again.

''Oh, how wrong you are…" He said and took action. He grabbed the girl by her waist then the safety harness from the staff member's hands and bought it around both of them. He tied themselves together.

''What are you doing?!" She tried to free herself in vain. ''Let me go!"

''Get your shit together!" He said then proceeded to jump out. ''Hold on tight!"

''AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHJJKL!" Chloe screamed from the top of her lungs and held onto him for dear life.

~~~oOo~~~

''I need to get some weapons." Adrien said as they ran down a staircase.

''What? You don't have any with you?" Ladybug asked bewildered.

''As I can see you don't have any either." He pointed out, and she face-palmed. Oh, right. She only had her ladybug mask. Neither her suit, nor her yo-yo was with her right now. She needed to transform again. But how? She can't reveal any secrets to this man. It would put both of them in danger. They had to get separated. As he pondered her options the chance presented itself.

''Ladybug!" A voice called out for her.

She turned to see Alya ran in her direction, Nino close behind yelling at her to have some sanity.

''Alya? What the hell are you doing here?" Ladybug narrowed her eyes.

''What? What kind of question is that? I am here to report everything to the folks of course!" She exclaimed happily, excited as ever.

The heroine brought a hand to her face. ''You can't be serious…"

''Oh, I am. Now where are we going?"

Adrien was taken aback by the craziness of his best friend's wife. He turned to him wide-eyed, but as he saw the hardship on his face, he gave a sympathetic look.

''Go knight-boy. I deal with this." She gave him a little wave with her hand, gesturing to go, get his weapons, and he took off.

''Nino please, get this mad women out of here before something happens to her." She muttered slowly as calmly as she could.

''I tried."

''You two don't have a say in what I am doing with my life!" Alya crossed her arms in front of her chest.

''Yes, I do. I am you best friend, and you could die! Go home, now!" She demanded and stood threateningly in front of her.

''Yes, you are my best friend, but it doesn't mean you can order me around!" The brunette chimed back.

''Wait? Isn't Marinette is your best friend? She would be heartbroken if she have heard you."

The two girls gave an unimpressed look to him then continued to glare at each other threateningly.

Another trembling went through the castle and Ladybug lost her patience.

''Say, Nino. Will you be able to carry out Alya if she fell unconscious?" She asked slowly and Alya narrowed her eyes.

''What?"

''Just answer!" She yelled.

''Wow, wow! Okay. To answer your question dudette, I am most definitely able to carry a weight like Alya's with me without much problem." He said, proud to his manly abilities.

Alya rolled her eyes at her husband, but she had no much time left, not even to react, when a hand came up the her neck and she lost conscious.

Nino caught her in midair with a shocked expression.

''What the hell?!"

''Bring her to safety, I have to go now. Bye!" She ran down the staircase completely and vanished behind the corridor.

''Are you fucking kidding me?!" He yelled after her.

~~~oOo~~~

''Tikki, spots off." Ladybug whispered as she ducked behind a corner. The only thing that changed was her mask. Her kwami landed on her palms. ''Do you think you could keep going?" She asked worriedly.

''Of course Marinette!" Tikki said cheerfully. ''The only thing I had to keep up for you was your mask not your whole suit, so I have plenty of energy left!" She smirked at the end.

Another tremor ran through the walls.

''Then that's our cue. Tikki, spots on!" She said and pink light engulfed her whole body. Her battle-boots changed into a red color with black straps, that went up to her knees and had steel rim to it, a baggy white short with red lace, white underskirt with a red over-skirt with black polka-dots that was short on the front but went down to her knees behind. Her corset was red on her breasts with the trademark polka-dots but had a thick black stripe on the waist with golden straps. She had her yo-yo on her left around her hip as well as a sabretache on the opposite with different tools. She had gloves with the same design as her boots and, of course, her red mask with black polka-dots.

Her physical strength, speed, and other abilities increased with the whole suit on and she darted out from her hiding place. She didn't have to go far to find Adrien. He was running in her direction in a high-class armor with two fine-looking swords. She recognized his father's most recent inventions right away. The compressed-air powered little spearguns, the magnetic battle-boots and the vibration-reverse armor were all elite, over the top equipment that could almost rival her magical home-invented outfit. Almost.

''I see, you got into you battle-gears as well." He smiled at her, but the worry took over his face. ''You look really cool by the way, but are you sure, you will be alright only with your yo-yo this time?"

''I went through the southern war and worse with less, pretty boy. Trust me, I have this." She said confidently.

''If you say so…" He wasn't completely convinced but Ladybug was a battle-tried veteran, she had to know what she was doing, so he said no more.

They reached the lower floors where the marble was replaced by iron and steel, the vibration and tremor stronger with every step. Suddenly a black blur appeared just a few meters from them and took the shape of a lion.

''I got this!" Shouted the knight, but before he could even reach the creature with his weapons, a wild yo-yo flew past the monsters attaching itself to an iron pillar and with a dash he had never seen before, Ladybug was in the air above the shadow lion then with a tornado roundhouse kick sending it to the ground. She retracted her yo-yo still in midair and swirled it around the being completely tying it around. She landed on it and tightened her grip on her yo-yo. The wire glowed up and the monster howled in pain as it vanished into pure light.

Adrien could only watch, eyes wide, mouth hanging open.

''It's good to know that the purification is working on them." She smiled retracting her trusted weapon and begun to run again. Adrien shook himself out of his stupor and ran after her, because she didn't really know the way, but she seemed to forget about that.

In their way they got plenty of shadow creatures for opponents, and both of them got their fair share of fight. Adrien cut through them easily with his twin-blades while Ladybug purified them as fast as she could. They tried to leave out that part, but if they just cut them down, they loved to fuse together and give them a hard time, and they couldn't just simply run away from them. They were fast and hard to outrun when new ones kept showing up in front of them, closing their path.

So in the end it took them at least 15 minutes to reach the core. From their hiding place behind a control-panel they saw a dark creature, but different from the ones before. It had a human form with lilac eyes and for some reason instead of destroying the connected engines – what would be more than enough to stop the mechanism that kept the castle in the air causing it fall down – it seemed to be more interested in the glowing sphere what was the source of the core's energy itself. As it touched the sphere the air vibrated and as a shock wave, another tremor ran through the walls, much stronger than they felt on the upper floors.

''We should stop it!" Said Adrien and abruptly stood up to take action, but an arm grabbed his and pulled him down to hide again immediately.

''Are you insane?" Ladybug whisper-yelled bewildered. ''How do you want to take on something you don't even know what the hell is?"

''No matter what's it my sword will slice through it." He said matter-of-factly as he raised proudly his weapons.

She rolled her eyes. ''Oh, what a superb tactic we have here…"

He pouted. ''Not everything needs to be planned out. Sometimes you just have to listen to your instincts and take a risk."

''Said approximately 60% of idiots before they died from an unknown threat." She deadpanned.

''Then I am lucky to be in the remaining 40!" He grinned at her.

''You are from the nation of bad luck. You really want to bet on your fortune?"

''Just to let you know, I am half pavonian."

''Let me guess, out of 'Art and Enthusiasm' and 'Art and Intelligence' you got the former?"

''Is it really the right time to insult your partner?" He said somewhat offended.

''For one, we are not partners, M. Rush-into-danger-without-thinking…" She showed one finger to his face. ''And two, if you are willing to endanger our mission and with that other people's lives as well as ours, then yeah, it's the right time to insult you."

''For one, that name is way too long…" He pushed her hand out of his face. ''And two, then what's your brilliant plan you oh-so-smart vigilante?" He asked on a mocking voice.

''For one, I am not a vigilante, and for two, I want to kick your ass-''

''Be my guest!"

''-but that can wait. Now we have to see if our weapons work on this one at all."

''Correct me if I am wrong, but I didn't hear any plan. So how exactly do you want to do that?"

She groaned. She had enough from this smart-ass. ''Alright. New plan. You distract it so I can sneak up to it and try to purify it." She looked at the creature then back at him. ''Got it?"

''Now, that's sounds like a plan to me." He brought up his blades, then added ''But even I could came up with this." She groaned and he jumped out from their hiding place with a grin. She sighed at his enthusiasm.

''Idiot."

He attacked the human-shaped shadow figure straight on – without so much as a plan or at least a concept – and swung his swords to its neck. The creature easily stopped his weapons with its bare arm and the knight bore a massive hit from its other arm. He flew back but landed gracefully on his feet and charged at his opponent again without hesitation. The shadow tried to ignore him, and didn't react for his attempts to cut it as no attack got through no matter how fast or strong it was. It brought up its arms to the sphere again and tried to touch it. Another tremor went out.

He cut and stabbed, but nothing seemed to work. In his growing annoyance he completely forgot about his partner and made even more desperate attempts to somehow wound the creature, when a voice came from the other side of the sphere. ''Now Agreste, between the vertebras and sacral bone!"

He didn't hesitate and stabbed the creature right where she said. It howled in pain then turned its attention to the young man. It grew in size and now was double of Adrien. The sword he stabbed him were stuck in its body, he couldn't pull out. He defended its next attack with his other sword but the force he received threw him of balance so he stammered backwards and the monster attacked his legs in a kick.

Thanks to his keen reflexes, he jumped up somehow just in time to avoid to bone-crashing attack. One of the control-panels wasn't so lucky and was completely destroyed. The fire-hot steam that erupted from the damaged machine shot into his face and it was enough distraction to the creature to attack. It leapt on his right foot, stopping him from escaping and raised its arm to the air that was morphing into a blade and it brought it down to kill him.

A yo-yo flew across the room in the last second, trapping the attacking limb. With a strong tug to the wire, the monster stammered backwards and she slid down between its legs from behind with such a momentum the creature fell back. The still trapped sword ran across its body completely and it howled in pain again.

''Attack!" She shouted out to him. He grabbed his weapon from the floor and was about the strike when he needed to stop.

''But where?" He asked nervously, because he knew it would be a stupid question for some reason. He was proven right when his partner groaned like his lack of knowledge was physically hurting her.

''its mouth of course!" She breathed out as she brought around the monster her yo-yo and tugged at the wire to keep it tight until her idiot of a partner would finally do his job.

She didn't have to wait any longer as he slid his sword through its mouth even as it moved its head to dodge the attack.

Its lilac eyes glowed up one last time, before the light vanished from them and its body went numb. Ladybug tugged at the wire again and with a bright white light the yo-yo purified it.

''But what should I do with this?" She asked herself as she held a strange compass in her hand.

''What's that?" Adrien asked as he eyed the red polka-dotted item.

''I don't know. Lucky Charm gave it to me a minute ago, but I didn't come up with any way to use it during the fight."

''Lucky Charm? When did that happen?" Even he knew what Lucky Charm was. it was her famous ultimate weapon to solve any situations no matter how desperate it was.

''Right when you attacked first. I used the chance to call for my Lucky Charm, but it seems like I got no luck for now." She sighed. ''Or do you have any idea for what I should use it?"

''Is it pointing at any directions at all?" He leaned closer.

''I don't know… let's see." She started to spin the item from left to right and back, then up and down to see how the pointer on the compass reacts. ''It seems it's pointing above us. Should we go back-'' She turned up abruptly to look at him, never realizing how close they were to each other and bumped her nose into his. Both of them starred wide eyed at each other for a few seconds before they fluttered apart.

''Sorry…" He mumbled under his breath.

''We…should probably go up." She said awkwardly.

''Right. Up. Go up." He answered just as awkward as she did, then they looked at each other but averted their gaze immediately. and begun to walk back in silence.


	6. The bunny and the bat

Roubor was sitting on the throne, coordinating everything through the speakers. The middle part of the castle were already successfully evacuated and with the shield down – as it had no use anymore – the upper floors' evacuation went without major problem as well. The problem however was the basement floors. With the thick metal layer on them and for security reasons they didn't have any emergency exits. The only connection – and escape route – being through the middle floors the evacuation was complicated and slow. The royal knights continued to fight with the shadow monsters, but they had eaten themselves into the lower side of the castle. Breaking through them and saving the workers, mechanics and other staff members caught in the labyrinth of the sustentative region like the generators and developer workshops was difficult. As they were low on people, the king sent his king's guard as well to support the fight and help rescue his subjects in need.

''Your have a good heart." Said a deep voice from the entrance. Roubur looked up the see a dark, shadow-like humanoid figure standing in the doorway. ''You have a good heart. That's why you will lose this fight. That's why you all will lose eventually."

The king took his battle axes and slowly stood up. ''Who are you coward?"

''Coward?" Smirked the creature walking towards him.

''Somebody who attacks on the holy night, hiding behind his monsters, go against innocent unarmed people and wants to fight when no one else is around… according to my dictionary, that's a coward." He spat out with a low tremor to his tone.

''That's strategy my friend. It's not my fault you can't even recognize it when you see it, let alone use it. Oh, I know. Even if you know it you won't be able to do anything. You are weak. But for now that'll give me the advantage. Your knights are all out, rescuing useless people, instead of putting the entire region under quarantine and closing the sections to prevent my creatures to spread around."

The king didn't answer.

''Now you are alone. You are alone and weak." The human form was just a few meters away from him.

''So you want me." He said raising his battle axes as he towered over his enemy. He had his armor on, and as old-school and traditional as it was – lacking the new inventions of the decade – it still gave pretty good protection and mobility during a close combat.

''Ohohoo, no my friend. Why would I be after you? You are the perfect ruler for my plan." He laughed, but a determined glint was in his eyes. ''This is just a small step, merely foreplay to the real game." He raised his arms turning them into curved blades. ''I am here for something else. Something what belongs to me." His words were full of hatred and disdain, his smile leaving his face giving place to a snarl. ''And you will give it back to me."

The king's right axe flew above his head. ''We will see that!" And he brought down his huge weapon with full power.

The shadow creature blocked it with his blades. ''Yeah, we will definitely see that…"

And the battle in the throne room began.

~~~oOo~~~

''Are you sure we should go this way?" Adrien asked her. Again.

After the fight she excused herself for a few minutes to 'figure out what to do with the compass and forge a plan' and recharged Tikki as much as she could. After so many years even her ceremonial clothes included a secret pocket with cookies for her kwami. Until that her partner busied himself with communicating the headquarter and activated the lockdown of the core according to the emergency code his superiors gave him through the line.

''Like all the other 20 times, my answer is yes dammit!" Ladybug was used to working with some really annoying person before and she had a feeling from their previous exchanges that he wouldn't be an easy case, but he exceeded her every damn expectation.

''But how the hell do you know that?" It seemed like he had similar thoughts as his tone became annoyed as well. ''This thing is not even leading us on a straight path!"

''Why is it have to lead us on a straight path?" She said through gritted teeth.

''Because that the damn logical thing!"

''Magic isn't logical!"

''Magic is science as well as every other thing!"

''Luck is not!"

''There is no such a thing as luck!"

''Luck is my actual power you idiot!" At this point they were yelling at each other.

''What?!" He looked at her incredulously.

''Ladybug, good luck, doesn't click anything?" She looked up at him in the same way.

''Please don't tell me you trust our lives on pure luck." He was taken aback.

''Hell yeah I did, because that's. My. Fucking. Power!" She shouted at the end.

''What kind of power is that?!"

''It's a very effective power as you can see. I made it through a war and countless other missions just fine with it."

Hearing this, he calmed down a little. Yes, of course. Ladybug was a battle-proven vigilante with more fighting experience behind her than he had. He should trust her more. Even if her power sounded ridiculous.

''So…how is it work? Somebody ask you something and you know which one is to correct answer?" He asked curiously.

''I am a warrior not a fortuneteller." She deadpanned at him.

''Then you just have luck wherever you go?" Suddenly something came in his mind. ''Can you make money with it and use it that way?"

''I almost thought you had a sensible idea, but then you had to add that…" She brought one hand down on her face.

''So you are lucky?"

''Yes, you can say that, but it's not all. It wouldn't be enough." She sighed then continued. ''If it would be enough I wouldn't be caught in this mess…"

''What do you mean?" He asked as he caught on her change in mood.

''Never mind. Anyway… you are right, I am lucky, but with luck alone you can't go in battle. I have to be clever, form strategies, react fast, communicate and have my handle with weapons."

''So you are basically like an average warrior but with good luck?"

''Hm, not exactly. I am not just lucky, I have my magic too."

''Like what produces that 'Lucky Charm' of…yours…..Hell! So that's why it called Lucky Charm!"

''Oh dear Gods, I am married to a genius." Ladybug facepalmed.

''This is rich from someone who managed to get married because of her lack of knowledge on matchmaking night when she came as a guest to the ceremony." He shot back angrily and pouted. ''I have just as many rights to be disappointed with this outcome as you. I didn't ask for much, just to have a wife I can get along easily, but it seems like neither of us will get what we want. But I guess it's nothing new."

She was silent for a long moment, before spoke up. ''Sorry… I guess I could be kinder to you. It's not like it's your fault after all. It's just… I had already enough shit going on in my life without this and as things are now we can't even get a solution for this."

''Yeah, we are stuck together. Deal with it."

She sighed as she felt herself a little ashamed. ''I am trying."

''Clearly not enough." He said turning away from her direction.

''Okay, could you just stop it?" She was back to being angry again.

''Stop what?"

''This sulking kid act."

''If I am cheerful and friendly you call me stupid and reckless, if I am cold and unfriendly you call me a sulking kid."

''I didn't call you reckless, because you were cheerful and friendly, I called you out upon rushing head-fast into danger without any kind of plan!"

''Yeah, because you are a brilliant strategist."

''For your information, I am."

''Then where is your brilliant plan now Miss Strategist? Following a broken compass not so complicated and definitely not brilliant according to my dictionary."

''Not every situation needs a complicated plan."

''And how do you know which one needs? Share your wisdom with me Master!"

''It would be a waste on you."

''Like my time spent on you?"

''Oh, manners worthy of a knight!"

''You are a lady only in name as well, Rude-bug!"

''What's that even supposed to mean?"

''I can't explain to you, you won't understand. Vigilantes don't have manner after all."

''I am not a vigilante!" She yelled at him with full force, her hands balled into fists, panting angrily as she looked up to the man in front of her. His mouth opened, ready to a comeback when he froze in place as he saw tears of not only anger but hurt as well, threatening to escape from her eyes. She had to much of this shit. This entire night was a disaster. Her entire life was a disaster. A suffocating endless loop without an escape, shit pilling up one after another. Falling on her shoulders. Drowning under the weight.

She took a deep breath. No. She couldn't break now. Couldn't break here. When people needed her help to save them. And especially not in front of this man. This infuriating hurtful eyesore. Whose fate was entwined with her now and forever. No. She would never cry in front of this man. She didn't need his pity.

''Ladybug…" He reached tentatively towards her with one arm, but she raised her hand to stop him.

''No. Just…no." She said, never looking up from the compass. The item that changed direction yet again. ''This way." She signaled with her hand, still not looking in his direction. He silently followed her, not daring to tell anything else.

~~~oOo~~~

''Dammit woman, you are heavy." Said Nino as he was jogging towards the nearest exit.

''What did you just say?" Came a dangerously low voice from his back. A cold chill ran down his spine. 'Shit, I am a dead man.'

''Yes, you are."

''Did I say it out loud?" His eyes widened.

''You didn't have to. It's all over your face."

''You can't even see my face!"

''And even so, I know it well enough to guess your current expression." She said smugly.

''Damn wife, you are good." He smiled and knew his wife was smirking on his back right now, because he knew her just as much as she knew him.

''Of course I am."

''And modest as always." He grinned.

''Real awesomeness doesn't need modesty." She stated out proudly, her grin present in her voice.

''Yeah, but you do." He countered and received a smack to his head right away, but it still worth it.

Alya crossed her arms in front of his neck, securing her position on his back more.

''You know, now that you are awake you could run on your own."

''Then what use would my knight have?" She nuzzled her cheek to the side of his head.

''He could go help and fight with the other knights." He hit a much more serious tone now.

''Hahaha, as if I would let you. If I can't run into danger neither can you buddy!" She said flatly.

''Alya, i am a knight. I should be out there, helping out my bro."

''Just as I want to help Ladybug. Anyway, your bro is in the best hands."

''You are not going out there to help. You are going out there for a story. That's completely different!"

''Because I can't do anything else."

He turned his head to look at her and saw the frustration all over her face.

''I want to help her in some way, to ease her burden even if just a little. If going out there and gathering information is the only way, i will do it without hesitation."

Nino was silent for a moment then smiled. ''I don't know how I got this amazing woman all for myself."

''Awwww"

''And I have you as well, that's a bonus!" He grinned and got a hard smack to the back of his head.

Totally worth it.

~~~oOo~~~

Ladybug and Adrien were still following the red polka-doted compass through the labyrinth of enginery of the lower floors. Dark narrow hallways with just a small amount of light, metal completely from under to the ceiling. Metal pipes ran on the walls, loud hisses erupted from them time to time, blocking their way and blurring their vision. The generators were on max speed, countering the force that was dragging the castle to the ground. Ladybug as well as Adrien came to a conclusion that the enemy was trying to trap them in midair this way. In cases of emergencies the castle should be lowered as much as it was possible and navigate to its dock on the ground to secure it from falling and crushing to the city. This way the reinforcement could easily enter and the enemy would be trapped, not to mention how easier the evacuation could go.

But as it turned out the enemy was prepared.

The system that could lower the castle was working on the simple principle of decreasing the upward propulsion and trust the descent to the gravitation. But if something kept dragging the castle downwards the standard demanded to keep the generators at full speed. If the force suddenly went away the building would just ascend further, but if it had a sudden increase without the full force of the system the castle would crash right into the capital and kill thousands of people.

Ladybug felt an uneasiness. Something felt really wrong.

Suddenly both of them came to a halt. In their silence the only thing they could hear were the loud hisses and the hot water dripping down. They waited a few seconds, holding back their breath, but nothing happened. She sighed.

''Sorry… I thought-'' She said but was cut off by the knight.

''No. I feel it too. Something isn't right."

The metal cracked a few meters away from them. They snapped their heads in the direction of the sound but couldn't see anything from the surging steam in front of them. Another crack came and a the metal rumbled as it was bent.

Adrien raised his double swords in front of him ready to defend an upcoming attack. The heroine grabbed her yo-yo in her left hand and started to twirl it, but with her right, she reached inside her sabretache and pulled out a tiny metal cylinder with a pointed top and four little fins. She laid the little rocket on her palm, curling her fingers around it as her thumb pulled back a fin – but as all the four fin were connected they moved as one – and straightened her fingers as sparks erupted from the bottom and the metal item shout out. It disappeared in the steam curtain then with a burst it illuminated the other side of the dark fogy hallway. The dark figure became visible for a long moment then faded back into the darkness.

''It seems like we were right." She said as she secured her yo-yo's string in both hands. The creature had the advantage in the narrow metal hallway, her weapon wasn't meant to places with so little room to navigate herself within. She glanced at her partner, hoping he wasn't on something reckless again. At her surprise, she found him with a determined gaze fixed on their opponent.

''I'll keep it preoccupied. You may be strong and fast, but I don't think you can use your yo-yo in a direct encounter in a tight situation like this." He said, his eyes never leaving the spot the shadow creature was just a moment ago.

''You are right, I can't really go offensive." She whispered as her mind forged a plan. A crack came from front of them, then the painful noise of metal scratching against metal ran through the place. Adrien winced, he hated this sound so much.

''Then it's decided, I go forefront, you stay back." He stated and again, almost darted out to fight.

She almost said 'What?!' and insulted him yet again, but she knew better for now. This was not the time to start another fight just a few minutes after the previous ended with a pretty bitter aftertaste in their mouths. So she decided to calmly stop him, before he did something stupid again.

''Stop tiger, we have only one sensible option in our current set up."

Adrien blinked at the nickname but stopped eventually.

The metal floor cracked again. The thing got closer, they knew, but it was like it waited for them to act.

''Yeah, I go from the front and you tie it up as soon as the opportunity is presented."

''No, I will go from front, and you keep attacking at every chance you get. Strike the energetic vital areas."

''What?! You can't go on offensive, it doesn't make any sense for you to go in direct close combat!" He was annoyed at her constant stubbornness.

Even if she started to feel just as annoyed with the other yet again, she kept her calm and spoke evenly. ''On the contrary. I can't attack, but can defend. If you defend I can't attack and you can't possibly won this alone.''

He didn't say anything – for what she was grateful – but on his face showed all his distrust regarding her plan. She sighed. This wasn't ideal, no, it was not even good. But it was definitely progress.

''Just trust me please, and follow my lead." She muttered and leapt into action.

It wasn't the best idea to dash headfirst into the fogy darkness of surging steam, but she had no other option as the fight was inevitable, and she had some tricks up to her selves. As she gained some speed she bucked and slid on the floor just in time to evade the slash that came for her neck. She brought out an instant torch and draw it across the metal floor as she slid, igniting it and lighting up the place. The monster became visible and despite its humanoid form an inhuman growl escaped its mouth.

The air froze, the moment slowed down as the monster's eyes peered down at her with their unnatural lilac glow. In the next second a metal piercing, sharp dark blade was slashing through the air towards her. She grabbed her yo-yo's string, raising it above her head and held it tightly to fend against the attack. The dark blade-like limb clashed with the string not a moment later. Ladybug retracted her left hand a little, averting the attack and using the momentum of her enemy to slide them past her and sent a kick to its side as ducking from the other blade at the same time.

Adrien caught on, attacking from behind, but as his swords were about to strike and pierce its neck, the creature turned and with a spin blocked his attack with its right limb-blade attacking the heroine with the other one. She dodged it again but as she jumped backwards her back collided with the metal pipes and the next thing she saw was the the monster's blade speeding straight to her head. She managed to turn enough to evade it just in time, tuning her head to the side.

Her partner didn't hesitated and went full offensive, slashing his swords horizontal to cut the monster's vital regions.

The shadow figure spun itself countering his attack and launching his own slash to Ladybug as well, who ducked then jumped up, reeling her yo-yo's strings around the creature's right wrist – or elbow bend, she didn't know – jumping up to the ceiling then down and sliding below the monster as it fought with Adrien. With her momentum she pulled the monster backwards giving the knight a clear opening. He swung his sword to its neck, but he twisted its body and ducked from the attack, tugging on the string as rotating , bringing Ladybug in their direction, and with another spin slicing to her neck.

Adrien brought up his swords from below, hitting the blade upwards before it could reach the heroin's neck. She used the dash the monster gave her with pulling her forwards and with her feet gained momentum. She tugged on her yo-yo, pulling the monster with her then slowing herself abruptly with her boots, the metal rims sparkling on the metal floor. While the creature still off balance she jumped in the air, landing on the monster's face with both feet.

The knight used the chance and struck with his swords again. In the last moment the creature moved. One of the swords still pierced through its shoulder but avoided the vital region. His weapon got caught in the solid body of darkness yet again, but he still had a sword to get it right this time.

Ladybug jumped up, sending its body downward. The monster stammered. Adrien sliced through the air ready to deliver the critical hit, but suddenly the light of the torch went out and the darkness succumbed the hallway once again.

The heroine couldn't believe the timing. She reached for another torch in her sabretache, lighting it on one of the metal pipes just in time to see the creature slash its blade-limb down to his partner's back. He didn't see it coming and she couldn't possible reach them in time. The monster hit its target.

But the blade couldn't go through his armor, sliding down on his back. However, the creature prepared another blow with its other blade and this time was aiming for his defenseless neck.

Ladybug brought out another of her mini rockets and fired it between them. They didn't exactly served this purpose – she usually used them the illuminate unreachable places – but binding her opponents with them was a useful function of them from time to time.

The monster growled and Adrien bowed to avoid the attack, striking back and finally slicing the shadow creature's neck. The monster stammered backward but before it could fall to the ground, Ladybug caught it in her yo-yo. She pulled it in her direction and the knight moved forward, piercing his sword through the shadow figure finally with a triumphant smirk.

Ladybug called upon her purifying, bright light enveloping the monster who gave out a last painful howl before disappeared into white sparks.

They sighed in unison.

The heroine bent down to retrieve the discarded torch from the floor. They both looked at the item then around the dark hallway.

''How many of this do you think is out here?" He gestured to the spot the monster was just a moment ago.

''No idea." She said, voice heavy.

''And how many torch you have left?"

She looked inside her sabretache and frowned. ''Only one more."

He bit his lower lip. This wasn't good. On more encounter and-

''They are getting stronger." She said, cutting off his trail of thoughts.

''You think?" He looked at her as the torch slowly dead out, leaving them again in the dark.

''I am not sure. We only came across two, but…I have this feeling." She said ominously.

''I am starting to trust your lucky bug sixth sense. But what do we do with this information?"

''Don't know. Just information." She said then reached for the compass she threw inside the sabretache as soon as they detected the enemy. ''I wish this thing would lead us on a safer path. Or on a brighter one at least. I can barely see you in this dark and if we don't get miraculously night vision or dozen more torch, i don't think we can continue to fight with these monsters."

''And they can obviously see us in the dark." He added, searching for an idea in his mind.

''See or sense, i don't know. But they definitely have the upper hand in the dark."

''Can't you do some luck magic or whatever to light the place around us or something?"

''If I could, why the hell would I carry torches with myself?"

''For others?"

She deadpanned. She didn't know if he just wanted a comeback but couldn't think any better or this was a serious thought. Her new husband was either incredibly annoying or incredibly stupid. Or both. She was opting for the later.

She was a patient little bug, She could do this.

''Do you know any path from here that will bring us to a hallways with better lighting?"

''You know, i am not a guide. I am a knight. I don't even work in this part of the castle."

''You knew how to get to the core though."

''When i was a rookie knight we did patrol in the main areas as the core a lot, but I never wandered around much in this maze. Sometimes even the mechanics who work here get lost. Hardly a week passes without somebody lose their way in this maze."

''That's good to know…" She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck in thought.

''But losing our way is not the problem. We were following the compass, because according to you we have to, and we don't know where is it leading us anyway."

''You are right on that one. We have no choice but follow this compass."

''Why are we following a broken compass again?"

''Because Lucky Charm is always an item that help us achieve victory.''

''Can't you make another one, like a torch, a lamp or something to make this aimless wandering a little brighter?"

''One, I can't decide what kind of item Lucky Charm gives me and two, I can only make one at a time."

''What do you mean 'one at a time'? It has a duration before it vanishes or you can discard it and make a new one?"

Ladybug bit her lower lip. She couldn't really explain it to an outsider, the miraculouses had to remain secret from the world. She either had to lie or evade the subject, and she wasn't good at the former one. ''I can't make another now. For this fight we have to manage with this compass."

Adrien saw she didn't want to answer him for some reason and it bothered him, but he knew better than bombard her with questions she definitely wouldn't answer honestly. But the question was still up: how should they go from now?

Before either of them could say anything more a faint light appeared in the distance, coming in their way. They pulled themselves into battle stance, waiting for the upcoming attack.

The light got stronger as it neared them. As the brightness blinded them for a moment they shielded their eyes. The knight didn't take it well and leapt forward to attack the source of light, but as he swung his sword to slice the light in two, a voice stopped him.

''Sir Agreste?" Said a deep female voice.

Adrien stopped just before the blade reached the light orb. The light faded a little, revealing the tall woman in purple hooded cape who held it. He looked up, eyeing warily the woman, before she lowered her hood to show her face to the knight.

''Lady Juleka, what are you doing here?" He looked at her from head to toe then glanced over her shoulder and finally noticed the crowd behind her.

''As you can see-'' She gestured to the people behind her ''I am here to guide the lost and protect the innocent."

''Huge words for a suspicious women." Ladybug said as she stepped forward. ''How did you move this noiselessly with so many people?" She looked at the frightened crowd with heavy mechanic overalls who couldn't possible be soundless, especially on metal floors like these. ''And how did you avoid those filthy shadow monsters. You are not looking like you could exactly fight against them."

Even if the woman in purple in front of them was annoyed she didn't show it.

''And who can I respect in you, red-clad woman of luck?" Lady Juleka asked with a polite smile.

''As it sounds like, you already know who I am, but I still don't know who are you."

''I certainly have a guess who you are, but I am afraid you misunderstood me." She said with a mysterious smile on her face and brought up her other hand – the left held a light orb – and pointed at her clothes. ''Your clothes are dominated with red and even if I couldn't feel the luck surrounding you-'' Adrien snorted disbelieving at this ''The ladybug accent and overall theme is a pretty solid give away."

Before her grumpy wife could retort he intervened stepping between the two. ''Lady Juleka, this is my wife, Lady…Ladybug? That's sounds-''

She cut off him with a piercing glare before he could finish that sentence. Lady Juleka chuckled at them.

''…the hero of Entarossa, and this is Lady Juleka, the Purple Priestess of the Below Maze."

''That's a pretty cheesy name."

''Just a pretty long nickname they gave me, I am a simple priestess that serves on the lower floors. i work mostly in our magic workshop and underground library." She smiled again, but despite her innocent smile Ladybug couldn't trust her because the mischievous glint in her eyes.

''When somebody get lost in this place she is the one guide them out. She knows this place the best."

Lady Juleka was watching the two with an amused smile, and Ladybug caught sight of it from the corner of her eyes as she was facing with her partner. The thought that this woman knew something and didn't tell them was pretty obvious and it got on her nerves.

Their eyes met and the purple priestess smiled at her knowingly. The hot was rising inside her seeing that smile and she was about to unleash her temper yet again during this night, when a high female voice sounded from behind Lady Juleka.

''Juleka, you are doing it again!" The voice said mockingly and blonde head was peaking above her left shoulder. Light blue eyes glared at rusty red. They glared at each other for a long moment then the long black haired woman broke the contact and turned away with a pout.

''I didn't do anything Rose." She mumbled under her nose.

''Yes, you did. You gave that knowing smile again and haven't told why. You know that people with bad temper and self-conscious nature will get uncomfortable and angry at you constantly because of that." The small girl frowned at her while massaging her left shoulder to get her attention, but she didn't answered.

''Excuse me, there is nothing bad with my temper." Ladybug said as she glared at the blonde-haired young woman.

''Oh, were is my manners! I am Rose Lavillant, priestess of light, and happiness, and first love, and bunnies, and children, and-''

''And everything that's good." Juleka interjected with a smile. ''Her nickname is the rose-pink priestess or day priestess."

''I don't like the later though. It's mean to Juleka. They are just calling me that because they call her night priestess as we appear as complete opposites to people."

''I like to be called night priestess, it's cool." Juleka said, patting the shorter woman's scalp.

''But it sounds mean! Like you are some evil dark priestess, but you are not! You are kind, and sweet, and always help others, and-'' Rose was rambling while Juleka was just shaking her head at her antics.

''Priestess of first love? I thought in Felidera they only believe in love once in a life time and that it's extremely rare for somebody to marry more than once."

''Oh that's because I am from Entarossa as you!" She beamed at Ladybug and she couldn't help but falter in her bad mood. There was something heart-warmingly bright in this girl that eased her tension to the point she allowed herself to smile despite the serious situation they were in. ''I was sent here as a present with my late master to teach some of our fortune and other magic to the people living here. But i couldn't help but fall in love with this place and never went home in the end." The blonde girl smiled at Juleka who smiled back at her with such a gently and warm smile like she was looking at the sun.

''So… where are you going with all those people?" Spoke up finally Adrien as he saw his partner's mood improved and the tension lessened enough to bring up the topic again without starting a fight. He was really grateful for Rose's presence. He looked around the crowd, men and women in uniforms and mechanic overalls fidgeting on their feet, looking around in every second for a possible attack.

''Oh, they?" Juleka looked back over her shoulder to the crowd as well. ''I was on my way down to the underground library when the alarms went off. I went to find Rose, but we ran into each other almost immediately. We know even if the threat isn't real people would panic and try to escape. Rose had the idea to look around and help people. She is good with calming them and I can guide them to the exit. We expected only a few people in these deserted hallways, but as it turned out, those shadow invaders were attacking through the main area from the main entrance of the lower floors to the core, so people abandoned those parts and entered these narrow floors unknown for them. We still have some places we need to check out. We can't really leave anybody behind."

''So you didn't even meet with any of those creatures?" Adrien asked bewildered.

''Some of the mechanics here saw a few of them from a distance, but they escaped right away. Rose and myself didn't run into any. It seems like they only move in the main area."

''Sorry to say that, but we just-'' The knight started but was silenced with Ladybug's gloved hand on his mouth.

''That's good to hear, but you should be careful and go to the exit as soon as you can." Said the heroine. She hoped the purple priestess caught on and she didn't have to be disappointed. Rusty red eyes met hers and Juleka understand the situation if the expression on her face was any indication. Ladybug glared at her partner mouthing out the silent words 'Don't cause panic'.

''What are one of our best knights and a famous foreign heroine doing down here?" Juleka asked, but already seemed to know the answer.

''We were down there in the core to fight with the enemy. When we were done, we followed this compass and got lost. It's getting darker with every minute as the lights keep disappearing, so we will be happy if you could lend us something to make our situation brighter." Adrien answered with a smile.

''Why did you follow a compass indoor?" Rose peered down at the red and polka-doted item with confusion, however, Juleka's eyes lit up seeing the compass.

''Is that… Is that a Lucky Charm?" She asked in awe.

''Yeah… It is." Ladybug said in confusion upon the wonder in her eyes, but was a little happy somebody finally appreciate her best weapon.

''Can I… can I hold it? I want to see it up close." Her excitement was evident. The heroine hated letting out her Lucky Charm from her hands even if just for a moment, but decided Juleka meant no harm and handed the compass to her. The purple-hooded woman inspected it with awe, turned it in every direction, right and left, up and down. She slowly circled his thumb on the top. ''The ultimate power of creation that manifest an item from pure energy with beware of past, present and future and forges it into something just the chosen ones are capable to use to deliver victory."

''Wow, you have a power like that? Why didn't you tell me?" Adrien asked, now also with awe in his eyes.

''I told you!" She said annoyed as she wildly gestured with her arms.

''But it's way cooler as she said it." He gestured wildly and pointed at Juleka who chuckled, but was trying to hide it for Ladybug.

''Whatever." The heroine crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted.

''Don't fight people, everything will be just fine." Rose chimed in, trying to calm the pair.

Ladybug took back the compass from Juleka who smiled gratefully at her for giving access to such a treasure.

''What's now?" Adrien asked eyeing his partner.

''We should follow the compass as we did until now, but we need some way to light up our path."

''We still doing that?" His sentence was rather a statement than a question as he showed his disagreement. Before Ladybug could mutter out a tired reply, Juleka answered in her place.

''If Lucky Charm is showing you a path you must follow it no matter what."

''You hear her?" The heroine grinned victoriously. ''You should just listen to me and follow my lead without complain!"

''Not possible. This luck thing is too far away for me to follow it blindly." He said and gave a pointed look to the heroine. She and Juleka exchanged looks and the priestess shrugged her shoulders. They turned back towards him with an annoyed expression then Ladybug sighed.

''Men and their science…Anyway, we should get going. You better stick with us, this place isn't safe for you to wander around without protection."

Lady Juleka smiled and gestured to her. ''Then my lady, lead the way."


	7. Bright night

''So…this is where you live?" Chloe looked around in the apartment, somewhat dissatisfied.  
Catching on that, Nathaniel answered in exactly the same tone. ''I am terribly sorry, your Highness. I wasn't prepared to be chosen by your Excellency on this wonderful event where my entire life without any doubt got a turn for the absolute better." He even added a courtesy bow.

''Don't give me your sass, Kurtzberg. You didn't have a sign on you that said 'broken'." Chloe turned in his direction annoyed, but as he only gave her a deadpan expression in return, she narrowed her eyes.

''First, why did you choose me anyway? I clearly didn't dress up as a knight or a lord or anything near them that could be appealing to you. And second, I am not broken. I have a decent income and live better than an average artist. I just don't need a fancy place to live. The things I need are all here." He gestured to all his paintings and equipment. She just gave him a hmph and turned away with a pout, but started looking at his artworks.

There was a huge painting unfinished with angel-like creatures. They didn't have wings, but their clothes were heavenly. She slowly brought up her hand to touch it only to stop an inch from one of the faces.

''Do you like it?" Nath asked shyly startling her. She took in the woman on the canvas in front of her. A blonde beauty with crystal blue eyes in a bright yellow tunic with black stripes, holding a strange golden weapon. Her smile confident and proud. Chloe's smile turned bittersweet, but she quick hid it as she faced him.

''Show me." She ordered confidently.

''Show you what?" Nathaniel was confused.

She rolled her eyes. ''What you meant by 'all the things you need' idiot."

He decided not to comment on her rude behavior, instead chose to give her a sweet smile and extend a hand towards her. ''Would you, your Highness?"

She was a little taken aback and her eyes widened, cheeks tinted in a light pink, but she quickly recovered as she saw the wicked smile on his face that followed. She huffed and pushed his hand out of her way as she stepped past him, but suddenly came to a halt as she remembered, she actually didn't have an idea what he wanted to show her. He chuckled and walked to a narrow staircase leading up somewhere in completely darkness.

Chloe flinched.

''So now you want me to go with you to some dark place and get rid of me as soon as you can?" She eyed the dark path wary.

''Of course. Because bringing you home when everybody – especially your father – knows that you are with me and killing you here is definitely the receipt of the 'perfect murder'." He deadpanned. She pouted. He sighed. ''Come on Chloe, get over with it. I still need to hide the body."

She narrowed her eyes and said through gritted teeth. ''Oh with all your sass Kurtzberg, someday I will render you speechless."

He smirked. ''I would beg to differ, but I am kind enough to let you get your hopes up."

''Someday I will silence that fool mouth of you." She said as she made her way up the stairs.

''Of course, sweetheart." He answered on the sweetest tone, following her.

''I am serious."

''I would never doubt that."

''I will kill you!"

''Yeah, that would definitely render my speechless. But you have a lot of planning before doing so. I wouldn't want my wife to get caught and go to jail. That would be awful of me."

''You never give me a break, would you?"

''But why? I am pure kindness and courtesy just for you. Do you know how hard is to keep up this gentlemanly act?"

''You are clearly doing it wrong."

''Really? I didn't know! Please give me your impeccable guidance, your Highness!"

They reached the upper floor of the apartment. A crowded little room with full of art equipment and a small bed that was only comfortable for one person. She didn't really get a good look of the things inside because it was dark even with the large windows that were on the roof. Because of the new moon they didn't give too much light.

''Is it what you wanted to show me?" She asked with disbelief. Here was only a few blank canvas, nothing really to show, especially with all this darkness. The lower floor had clearly more to it.

''We are not there yet." He walked to the door between two large windows with curtains and motioned to her to follow. She tentatively moved closer. He reached out for her hand with his own but she moved out of its way giving him a suspicious look.

He fished out a key and unlocked the door. ''Come on, Chloe. You need to close your eyes for this." He smiled at her and it was so innocent that after some contemplating she took his outstretched arm and closed her eyes. He opened the door and carefully led her outside. The cool night breeze gave a shiver to her and without any thought Nathaniel stepped to her side and rubbed her back to give some warm comfort. He didn't notice that a very different shiver ran down her spine and she opened her eyes suddenly as they widened and a blush appeared on her cheeks. When she saw he didn't look in her direction, and probably didn't see any of this, she closed her eyes again and pretended nothing happened at all. They didn't walk more than a few meters when Nath came to a halt and with his hands suddenly on her shoulders positioned her body in the exact direction he wanted.

'He has no idea about personal space' she murmured inside her mind but tried really hard to not show any reaction to him. That would only make him more smug.

''Okay, you can open your eyes now." He said excitedly.

She slowly opened her eyes and her breath was caught in her. All the beauty of Aithia laid front of them. All the stars of the night sky and all the lights of the city. The festival down there went on full force, excited noises and cheering shouts of people could be heard. Unaware of the things that were unfolding in the castle, they were carefree, joyful and couldn't be happier after a love filled night. The colorful lights could be seen from everywhere, decorating most of the buildings. Bright lanterns floating up from the celebrating city to the similarly well-decorated airships.

She had spent every matchmaking night at the castle before and had seen the city from the windows a few times, but never had been this close to it. It was a completely different experience, like she was in the heart of the entire bubbling happiness and beauty. It was warm. So warm.

Nathaniel had expected that she would like it. Why wouldn't she? The view from here was beautiful even on average days and at festival nights like this, especially this as it was matchmaking night, the sight was breath-taking. Yes, he expected her to like it. He just didn't expect her to like it this much. As he saw her eyes widened in shock slowly brightened and her whole expression became full of excitement and awe, his smug smile left his face giving place to a tiny blush. He averted his gaze from the girl's face to the city. He didn't want to go back to his shy younger self and especially didn't want to give her the satisfaction to render him speechless.

He gulped, pushing down his momentary nervousness and asked. ''Do you want to go down there?"

She turned in his way, confusion evident on her face. ''What?"

''You know… Go down there, have some fun in the festival." He said suddenly nervous again.

She narrowed her eyes and turned up her nose. ''Please, you can't be serious. Down there with the peasants? You must be kidding."

''You could grace the poor and plain common people with your presence, your Highness. After all, I can't keep all this honor only to unworthy me!" He gave her a courtesy bow again with a perfect gentleman act. When she only huffed he resorted to a pleading expression. ''Come on, Chloe. Not everyday we get married, let's have some fun!"

''If you mean with fun that we should merge with the common people, then thanks, but no thanks." She crossed her arms in front of her chest then rested her upper body on the balcony's railing clearly avoiding him.

''You have never ever been there. You don't even know what you are refusing." He said as he leaned on the railing as well. He looked straight at her, but her gaze was focused on the city lights. They were like this for a minute or so when Nathaniel realized she was too stubborn to change her mind on her own. She needed some… motivation. A plan formed in his mind. ''So what if I will buy something for you? Something you would like." He grinned confidently.

She looked at him skeptically. ''First, you don't have the money to buy me something I really like. And second, I highly doubt they offer anything like that down there. It would be just a waste of time."

He narrowed his eyes and gave her the stingy eyes. ''First, I definitely can buy you anything you want, and second, you don't even know that, you just assume things. Again."

''I don't assume things. I am always right." She said proudly, bringing a hand down on her hair. For this statement he snorted and rolled his eyes. ''And even if I had only one thing to choose, you wouldn't be able to afford it."

''If you are so confident in that, then let's make a bet!" He smirked and it got her attention from the city. ''If I am able to buy you the thing you want you will have to enjoy yourself with me down there through out the entire night."

''And what if you lose?" She asked with an identical smirk.

''Hm, I didn't consider that possibility. Truth to be told, it's nearly impossible, but pick what you want. You can force me to do some really humiliating thing, or spent my whole budget on clothes or divorce if that's your heart's deepest wish." He said all of this with a smirk and with even voice, but the last part was surprisingly hard to say. It sent a bitter taste to his mouth and he regretted it a little when he saw the disappointment on her face. They looked into each other's eyes, then after a long moment Chloe averted her gaze.

''The clothes thing is okay with me." She said, but didn't look him in the eyes. He wanted to brighten the mood so he put on his best smile and took her hand to lead her back inside.

''Then we have some preparation to do!"

''Preparation?" She asked confused.

''Of course, we can't just go out in these fancy outfits. We need to blend in!" He answered cheerfully as they got back inside the apartment's main area.

''Dressing up like peasants. It gets better and better…" She sighed, but when he turned away with a pout she smiled to herself. He led her into a room and used one of the magical lamps to lighten the inside. The room was neat and feminine with a soft-looking bed at the middle and giant wardrobes on each side. The back wall had a huge window, now safely covered by a curtain with a delicate pattern. There were some decent looking, handmade clothes as well and a few masks lied on the side of the bed.

''I know, it's probably not your style. I asked the opinion of my female friends, but you are very different from them, so you can redesign it as you want. I wasn't sure if I should get you clothes or not, so I bought some from the most popular fashion houses. I would get Marinette to make some, but she is always busy nowadays and focuses more on armors than clothes. I know it's not the best, but one of the dresses would probably fit and with a matching mask we can go out without sensation." He lost his cool and was rambling now, but she signaled him to stop.

''Wait, what is this place anyway?" She asked, looking around the neatly decorated and furnished room.

''Kind of a… dressing room or a salon for you I guess?" He smiled at her sheepishly.

''For me?" She asked surprised.

''Well… kind of. When I was certain I would be married in a few weeks, as my patrons from here wished, I thought it would be a good idea to prepare this room for my future wife. First I wanted to make it into a normal room that is suitable for a lady, but as some friends of me who have more knowledge of this land and its culture pointed out that according to the tradition husband and wife should sleep in the same bed, I had no other option, but to drop the idea. So my original plan with the second bedroom was dismissed, but I still wanted to do something with this place. It's a really nice room with lots of light in the afternoon, but the morning sun won't disturb much. I used to paint in here, mostly in the afternoons, but now it has wardrobes, and bed and curtains." He was rambling again.

''Why the bed?" She was a little confused, but couldn't hide her smile even if she really really tried. With all his smugness and sass he was still a pretty innocent and shy boy. She clearly had a chance the baffle him. She wanted to smirk, but the pure good intention he meticulously prepared this room for his future wife, now current wife who in fact was her, caused so much warmth inside her that the act couldn't earn anything else but a genuine smile. That she wanted to wipe out from her face in that instant. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

''I already got it before the bedroom idea was doomed, so I kept it. It's way easier to undress and redress with it, so I think it's not a bad thing. But change the room as you like."

''No, the bed is a keeper, but I will work with the colors and the interior decoration. It just doesn't fit to me."

''Yeah, maybe more gold… Anyway, it's time to dress up! Choose anything you like and put on a mask. I go now to change into something else as well." He didn't give her time to react and slipped out from the room immediately. Chloe huffed and looked around to find the clothes he was talking about. Of course, even if they were high quality there was little possibility that she would like any of them. Still, she had to put on something to shut his fool mouth. She can be impressive even with one of those dresses.

Half an hour later – Nathaniel gave her the time she needed, even if he thought putting on a dress and a mask without makeup and other usual things required way less time than half an hour, but he didn't complain – Chloe stepped out to the hall in a bright yellow festive wear with decorating stones shimmering all kind of colors from lilac and red too a deep ocean blue. She had a perfectly matching mask with the same shimmering stones. Even her hair had some of the stones.

''How did you get more of those jewels to decorate your hair?" Nath asked confused. He prepared clothes and masks to the festival, but nothing else.

''The mask was too much, so I cut down the lower part, took out these vibrant little beauties and used some hairpins to fix them." She explained with a proud smile.

''This actually amazing, didn't expect that." He gave her a smug grin, but this time she didn't waver.

''Better get used to it, Kurtzberg. I am an amazing person!" She gave him the same smug grin, and he rolled his eyes with a smirk, then extended his arm towards her.

''Shall we go, your Highness?" He even bowed to her. She decided to play along and accepted his hand.

''We shall."

~~~oOo~~~

His firm arms held her up as he pushed her body against the door. Her arms came up around his neck and her fingers stroked his hair. The two bodies were pressed into each other not leaving even one inch between them. They kissed as their lives depended on it. She left his mouth to lay kisses to his jawline and moved down until she reached the edge of his armor. She paused for a moment before she sighed.

''Will they be alright?" She asked, separating herself from her new husband.

He groaned and lowered her to the ground. ''Way to kill the mood, Alya."

''Oh please, i am sure I can get you back into the mood anytime." She grinned at him and he couldn't deny it. It was the simple truth. Her grin faded giving place to worry in her expression. ''So do you think they are alright? We left them with those monsters roaming the castle and I am certain my girl got herself in the middle of the trouble again."

''You were the one who said she is the best and they will be fine. Or should I have fears for my best man?" He raised an eyebrow.

''Oh right, your best friend is married now to my best friend. I never even thought that this could happen!" She laughed from her heart and he smiled at her beautiful wife's beautiful laugh. He loved this sound.

''I don't think anyone ever thought that the famous vigilante gets married from one day to the next! And because of the series of random mistakes!" He was laughing too at this point.

''I wanted to see her face so bad when someone broke it to her!" Alya could barely keep it together. She clutched at her stomach with one arm and the door frame with the another, supporting herself.

''You should have seen her face! That utterly horrified expression was priceless! At first she didn't even believe it!" He animatedly gesticulated with his arms then on a mocking voice tried to imitate her. ''No! No way! I am totally can't be married! What will we do with each other with this totally random guy! I don't even know him! He could be a serial killer or a total creep! Just look at that suspicious face!"

''I am dying! You can't be serious! How could I miss out this!" Alya wiped a few tears from her eyes, really really regretting that she couldn't be there. This was utterly hilarious!

''I barely could keep in my laughter, but I had to keep my poor man together. I had to convince him that she was just freaking out, but he asked me again and again that 'Nino, I really have a serial killer face?' Poor guy was totally freaking out after this." Nino sighed at the last part.

''Awwww, poor sunshine boy! I can't believe she said those things in his presence! Wait… I take it back. I can totally picture my bestie freaking out like this. She is rambling and pulling on her hair and can't be stopped until she is about to explode!" She laughed again.

''Until the king successfully gathered everybody related to this hell of a series of totally random events, she couldn't calm down. Then she was dead silent and didn't speak a word until the hearing was over. Adrien was freaking out until then as well, but it became a silent anxiety after she went from full-force-freaking-out to dead-silent-the-world-is-over. I don't know how they would manage this relationship. It's not like they can break it up or anything."

''Don't worry. Maybe they are two over-dramatic idiots, but our two over-dramatic idiots. Even if they are too stupid to function properly we will be able to help them." She smirked wickedly bringing her hands together.

''I feel like my hell-a sexy smutty foxy wife has something on her mind." He crossed his arms front of her stomach from behind and embraced her. ''Should I be worried?"

''Didn't you learn anything from our one year together?" She turned her head up to look at him with a smirk. ''I would think you know better by now."

''It's been only eleven months." He kissed her temple then her cheek. ''And if I learned anything about you…'' He brought up one of his hands and turned her head in his direction then planted a sweet kiss on her lips."…is that I can never be sure in anything when you have something shady in your filthy mind."

''You like my filthy mind though." She turned in his embrace facing him now and started to undo his armor.

''That's definitely true." He smirked at her before kissing her passionately.

~~~oOo~~~

''Don't you want some ice cream? It's really delicious!" Nath said extending his arm with the sweetness in hand, but she turned up her nose with a frown.

''No way. I will dance as a clown from Canira on summer solstice before you get me taste that pleasant food!"

He gave her a flat look with a frown, but that turned into a smirk fast as he said. ''You mean I have to win the bet before you can finally enjoy yourself. Did you choose what you want yet?"

''No, I didn't see anything I want, as I expected." Chloe answered with a smug smile.

He sighed. ''Then we should keep going. There is no way we can't find something you like."

''Why do you think there is even a possibility I can find something at this mere festival with my high standards?"

''I know. Now keep looking. There is no point of the bet if you don't even try."

They watched the flowing crowd of newly wed couples, while searching for a stand or shop that was selling high quality items. With all the lovebirds around them they mind drifted again and again from the task in hand to each other. Should they try to hold hands or something? Both of them dismissed the idea as they were too stubborn or too self-conscious. They weren't really effective this way, and after some time both of them continued the search half-heartedly only to distract their thoughts from one another without any success. Both of them frustrated with how things were going, Chloe was the first to break the slowly unbearable silence.

''So you are an artist." She started.

''Obviously." He said flatly looking at her. She growled in response, but continued anyway.

''Are you from Pavona?" This wasn't a baseless assumption from her part as pavonians were known from their artistic talents, intelligence and enthusiasm. This three traits were so equally present in those people that they couldn't even agree on which two from the three would describe them the best. There was a nearly perfect split between the two sides; one went with Art and Enthusiasm, the other with Intelligence and Enthusiasm. Which one they used depended on that the person was a researcher or an artist. The ancient descriptions used the former one though.

''No, I am from Entarossa. My grandparents from my mother's side are pavonians though, both of them great artists, especially my grandfather."

''You know that Pavona is part of Entarossa, right?" She asked sarcastically.

''And you know that Pavona is autonomous, and people usually refer to it apart from Entarossa?" He asked flatly.

''Still a part of it." The blonde rolled her eyes.

''Still autonomous, and they don't think about themselves as entarossians." He raised an eyebrow.

''But you think about yourself as an entarossian. Why?"

''Because I grew up in Entarossa and barely visited Pavona or my grandparents."

''You didn't even study art in Pavona?" She asked with disbelief.

''No, I was raised and taught in Virtus. Mostly…"

''Mostly?" This time she was the one who arched an eyebrow at him.

''When the war broke out my parents thought it would be better if I had a second home if things were to turn for the worse. It was ridiculous, there was no way that the war will even get near to the capital, but they still insisted. So I spent almost all my holidays here and took art and fighting classes, because this knight-centered country didn't have a simply art course! Why would an artist even need basic fighting skills let alone advanced weapon-use!" He gestured, his arms in the air with obvious annoyance, and she couldn't stifle a giggle. Then he continued a little calmer. ''It was only bearable because some of my friends spent the holidays here as well, so I wasn't alone. Anyway… After my grandparents learned about my artistic talent they contacted with my parents to send me there, but I refused."

''Because…?"

''Because they were real assholes with my mother. In the end I was forced to visit them, but I only was there three or four times."

''Understandable." The blonde said curtly. Nath was surprised. He didn't expect her to agree with him, let alone be sympathetic instead of laughing at his foolishness for giving up such an opportunity just because he didn't feel like going there. ''So I assume your parents are not artists. At least your father."

''You are right. My mother against all odds was the intellectual-type of pavonian rather than the artistic one, but she was forced to be a second-rate artist instead of be able to purchase her own dreams and never been happy. Not until she met my father. He praised her brain and supported her dreams. My grandparents called him filthy fox that poisoned their daughters mind. My parents left Pavona and moved to Entarossa."

''And I guess, based on that 'filthy fox' praise that your father is from Vulpes."

''Yep, they are both merchants now. Any other question?"

''In fact I barely asked any question, you just told me your whole background on your own." She smirked smugly. He averted his gaze in embarrassment.

''Sorry I bored you with my life." He said, still not looking at her.

Chloe walked a few steps forward and looked back at him still with a smug but somewhat kinder smile. ''Don't be sorry. It was pretty interesting, Red."

''Red?" Nath asked confused.

''I can't keep calling you Kurtzberg forever. It's too damn long."

''You know, you can call me my actual name." He answered flatly.

''Oh please. As if I would call you on your first name. Keep dreaming Red!"

He narrowed his eyes at her retreating figure, but couldn't stop a smile forming on his lips. What will he do with this woman? One thing was sure, he couldn't let her win, and he just spotted the perfect strand to win the bet.

''Chloe! I think I found what we were looking for!" He yelled after her and she looked back at him with a confused expression on her face.

''What?"

''Look at that stand! It's selling high class jewelry. It could match even your high standards." Nathaniel smirked as he led Chloe to the booth in question. The blonde gave a look to the merchandise and had to agree, those were in fact all high quality items. Not just jewelries and not just simply jewelries. Many people were looking at the gorgeous neatly crafted accessories, each of them a fine piece of artwork, but most of them turned away disappointed when they found out the price. Of course, high quality items were offered for an equally high price.

Her eyes wandered around; necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and many other accessories lied or hung everywhere, each one neatly crafted and decorated with gems such as diamonds and emeralds. Yes, she could definitely pick something worthy from here that suited her taste and was expensive enough to win the bet. She didn't even know why he pointed out this stand. There was no way a poor artist like him could afford anything from this booth. Maybe he have been saving up for this occasion? To buy something nice for his future wife? Even if that was true this still was a risky move according to Chloe. If she went with something from the 'cheaper' collections then that could be fine, but if she chose something from the priciest ones then he was doomed. The real question for her was; what did she really want? She wanted a gift from her new husband or winning this bet more? She was contemplating this as her eyes caught on something. The blonde let out a surprised gasp, and she forgot about the bet in an instant. There was the perfect match. She couldn't even look elsewhere as her eyes fixated on the golden bee brooch. Nathaniel following her gaze looked at the beautiful accessory as well with a satisfied smile.

''I think we found what we wanted." He got Chloe's attention, smiling confidently before he turned to the merchant. ''Excuse me sir, can we get a better look of that bee brooch right there."

The merchant tuned in their way with a bright smile that slightly faded as he got a better look of them. That red hair of the young man wasn't so promising, but the young lady made the impression that this could still be a good deal. He decided to be careful.

''Of course young man. It would be for the lady, right?" He gently picked out the brooch from under enchanted glass that protected the expensive merchandise from stealth and handed it to Chloe. The girl twirled her fingers endearingly around the jewelry with a found smile. ''But sir… you are aware of that these fine, well-made, valuable rarities are not for the average costumers, right? That brooch is a special class rarity; made from gold, diamond and sapphire, crafted with the use of strong magic, coming right from the kingdom of Apidas. In the right hands it even have a very special ability." The man said pointing at the engraving. For sure, the brooch had many layers. As it opened up, the wings opening as well, the gleaming core became visible and the letters on the golden parts lit up. It had a special aura to it, clearly well enchanted.

''I see, it has magic in it for sure. But I still can't see what purpose it serves." Nathaniel said with a smug smile on a skeptical tone. ''If it's just a fleshy trick without any use then why should I pay for it. I can buy gleaming magical items for a much cheaper price."

''It's not just a fleshy trick, I can reassure you!" The merchant glared at him, taking the brooch back from the girl. ''But it only works in the right hands."

''What's its ability?" Asked Chloe suddenly out of her daze.

''You should look for another one." The man gestured to all the other items. He didn't really want to dicker with the red haired young man. He was clearly from the nation of foxes. It wasn't really his night.

''What's its ability?" The blonde girl asked again slowly on a low voice, making her impatience clear. The man turned to her a little annoyed, but his eyes widened a little and his expression changed as soon as her piercing gaze locked with his. There was something scary in this girl. Something demanding.

''It attracts bees and can control them for some extent, but it's useless for you as it only works for people from bee bloodline. The clearer the heritage the better it works."

''You are right, it's useless for us." Nath stated, stealing a side-glance at Chloe as he said this. ''But it's seems like my queen took a liking in it. However, with a useless ability you can't possible want me to pay the full price." He grinned.

The merchant glared at him with displeasure. ''I won't give it for a lower price just because you can't use the great magic in it."

''Sorry to break it for you sir, but you can barely find a person in this country who can make a good use of it, not to mention one who can afford such a pricey item. In this land or Entarossa these bee themed accessories are not even popular, and it's not like you would travel all the way to sell this in Apidas. Sell it to another merchant wouldn't give you much profit either. So…" Nathaniel's smirk became so wide it almost pierced his face, and so smug it almost annoyed the man to the death. ''You want to make some profit or you want to keep that brooch to your death bed?"

''I can lower the price, but it will still be too much for you, you pesky fox!" The merchant said between gritted teeth.

He was about to make the deal but the last rude remark of the merchant made a change in his plans. ''Oh right, I just remembered my budget is low for this night!" He snapped a hand to his forehead tuning to the man with an apologetic smile. '' I am a poor artist. Not to say, I just got married and spent so much money on my wife. Even if you would give me this one for half of its original price I still couldn't afford it. Sorry for bothering you." He said taking Chloe's hand and turning away from the stand.

The man laughed. ''Hah! I wanted to be a real knight with you and give it to you for half-price as noble as I am. But what a shame, you can't afford such a delicacy after all." He shrugged his shoulders with a satisfied smirk.

Nath turned back with an innocent smile. ''Really? For half-price? How kind of you would have been that!"

''Of course, of course. I am from the land of knights after all." The man grinned proudly.

''Knights who are noble, brave and would never take back their words, right?" Nathaniel said boasting his ego further.

''Of course, of course. That kind of man I am!" The merchant answered straightening his back, his chest swelled with pride.

''Then half the price." The red-haired fox said, placing the right amount of gold on the stand, snatching the brooch out of the man's hand. The merchant could only gap at them. They were far away from the booth when his brain proceeded what just happened and anger surged inside him.

''Don't ever come back you filthy bastard of a fox!" The angry shouts echoed behind them.

''Here." He gave Chloe the bee brooch. ''I won." Nath said triumphantly.

''You cheated." She said mockingly, clipping the jewelry to her chest.

''No, I didn't." He answered smugly.

''Yes, you did. You didn't have the money to pay for it."

''First, that wasn't a condition in our agreement; just as you could choose anything no matter how cheap or expensive it was, I could get it any way as long as I paid for it. And second, I had more than enough money to pay for it."

''Then why didn't you just buy it?" She said, disbelief lacing her voice.

''Because I don't want to spend money unnecessarily, and I wanted to save up for my victory. We have so much to do for the night after all!" Nath smirked, pulling a groaning Chloe after him.

''This night will be so long…"

~~~oOo~~~

''So say little king, where can I find the last fragment?" The shadow creature lifted the king's limp body up with only one hand. Roubur was badly injured, blood flowing from every part of his body, his battle axes long forgotten on either side of the throne room.

''You…" He breathed heavily as he tried to form his next words. ''You will…never…get the…last fragment…..of the miraculous…"

The humanoid monster dropped him to the floor. ''Alright. We will do it on the hard way then." He brought up his shadow limbs circling his fingers around the king's head. ''If you don't want to tell me…'' Pulsing energy went through his body entering the king's and dark veins ran down from the points the monster touched his head. Roubur gasped, his eyes turning black and he screamed in pain. ''Then you will show me."

 **So my epic and never-ending battle with line breaks ended. I couldn't figure them out on this site so I technically cheated, but who cares? I don't.**


	8. Bare back

''Wow, this place is huge." Adrien said as he walked inside the large domy place. The walls stood in a circle full of bookshelves and some old human-sized sculptures, seven huge marble pillars with detailed carvings speared up to hold the gigantic ceiling.

''Have you never been here before?" Ladybug asked as she stared at the library's breath-taking interior. In the middle above them was one of the most fascinating glass dome Ladybug have ever seen, consisted from seven different parts, featuring seven god-like figures.

''No, I didn't have the chance. Normally only people with special permission are allowed here. We could only enter now, because Lady Juleka let us in with her permission seal and entry code." The knight said as he walked to one of the seven larger sculptures near the base of a pillar. It was the marble form of a lean and tall man with sword and cat-ears. The figure had a stern look as he gripped his weapon. Adrien gazed at the sculpture, somewhat mesmerized and reached out to touch it.

''Who are they?" The heroine's voice brought him out of his daydreaming and he looked in her direction as she asked the purple-hooded woman. Juleka smiled at her again with a mysterious smile then started to point each sculpture one after another.

''Bumble Bee, Mystic Shell, Twin Tails, Dreamy Wings, Mesmeriza, Lady Luck and Feral Cat. They are the heroes from the time this library was built with one exception."

''Exception?" The red heroine asked curiously.

''Yes, Feral Cat was the father of the builder, the last real black cat and the first king of Felidera, Panthere Noir. He didn't want himself in this sacred place where all the heroes stand. In loose therms this was the last time all the seven were present at the same time. Even if Mesmeriza, Twin Tails and Dreamy Wings were already retired at the time and Mystic Shell died short after Panthere took the staff from his father."

Ladybug looked at her confused. ''But wasn't he the one who started the war of independence against the Great Entarossa? Why would he want a library full of his enemies in there? And how could this place be from that time? That was more than a thousand years ago, and the floating castle no more than 300 years old."

''Actually, it was built before the war as a gift for his partner, Lady Luck. He wanted her to be comfortable here, so the head architect and craftsmen used a wide variety of colorful material to make this mosaic glass dome. It featured the first seven, also known as the founders and he wanted the heroes of their time to also be here, so the seven marble sculpture were made, but he didn't feel himself worthy enough to be here. Lady Luck felt the same way, so the first sculpture here was the former ladybug's, even if Lady Fortune was dead for almost 200 years then. After her death however, Lady Luck's sculpture was placed here and the original one was relocated with many other in another room that's now in the basement area as well. They said the king spent hours just looking at the marble figure of his beloved partner." The priestess had a faraway look on her face for a moment and a somewhat sad yet still mysterious smile, then continued. '' As for the library's age, even after the war broke out between the mainland and Felidera, he still couldn't bring himself to destroy this place. In fact, the only change he ever allowed – and he enforced it with law – was the already mentioned replacement. The old stronghold that stood here was built around the library to secure it with thick walls against the raging war. Slowly but surely this place became part of the underground area and got its own magical light source that mimicked the real sun. There was stronghold, then fortress and after that a castle above it, but it still didn't change one bit. When the first drafts of the floating castle came out the library was already concluded with some parts of the old castle in them."

''So this is the oldest part of the entire castle?" Ladybug said more as a statement than a question as she walked to the marble image of her predecessor, the last real ladybug.

''Basically." Lady Juleka shrugged.

''If he loved his partner this much, why did he turn against her nation and all of the mainland right after her death?" Adrien turned to Juleka then he looked at the sculpture of the former ladybug as well.

The priestess eyed the two of them with silence while seemingly contemplated what to say then spoke up. ''You should ask him personally if you want to know the truth." She smiled at him as he looked at her incredulously. How was he supposed to ask somebody who was dead over 1200 years now. She could just say she didn't know. Eventually he shook it off.

Ladybug brought her gaze up to the glass dome again, marveling the seven founders' neatly crafted mosaic figure. As she looked each of them the heroine noticed that not just the first generation but even their miraculous jewelries were present, making it obvious why most of the people wasn't allowed to enter this part of the castle. It was a risk to the secret of the powerful treasures. And it made one more thing obvious…

''So Lady Juleka… what do you usually spend your time here?" The red-clad woman looked at the priestess with suspicion.

The lady turned in her direction and smiled upon seeing her obvious displeasure. ''Hm… You could say I am working on spells for a living but also seek the knowledge of old times."

''Mysterious and indirect again, I see." Ladybug narrowed her eyes at the purple-hooded woman, who chuckled.

''I am terribly sorry, but this information is confidential. I think you know what it's like to keep a secret, don't you?"

The heroine sighed. She was still a little annoyed, but the priestess had a point. She was the idiot to ask something like that especially in front of so many outsiders.

Juleka saw how uncomfortable all of this made the other woman, so she showed her a warm smile and stepped closer to whisper. ''Don't worry, fair lady. All your secrets are safe with me."

Ladybug was a little taken aback from the priestess sudden friendliness, but couldn't keep a smile from her face sensing the sincerity behind her words. For the first time she felt like this woman could be trusted. But she still couldn't let her guard down. Not now, not ever.

''Stay right here, people. You are safe with us, just stick together and don't leave this spot while I talk to Lady Juleka." The two of them heard as Rose spoke those words from the other side of the library. The workers who came with them fidgeted nervously next to the entrance, a little calmer thanks to the always bright little priestess, but still somewhat frightened. The pink girl rushed to their side with a smile, but her expression turned into serious once she reached them. ''People want to know why are we here and when we will go to the upper floors to escape."

Juleka turned to the heroine then looked at the compass. ''What does the Lucky Charm show you?"

Ladybug looked at the compass as well a little confused. ''It led us right here after we met, but since we entered here the needle keeps spinning around." She then started to walk to the middle with the item in hand. ''As I walk it twirls like crazy, so I don't exactly know what does it want from me."

Adrien walked back to them as well and was eyeing the mysterious tool with wary eyes. ''Are you sure this thing isn't broken?"

The heroine glared back at him while Juleka deadpanned. ''Yes, I am pretty sure."

''Let me see it." He said as he tried to take out the compass from her hand.

''No, you would only break it!" She jerked away from him.

''Don't be ridiculous, it will be fine!" He reached out to grab the item again, but Ladybug pulled away her arm, firmly gripping her Lucky Charm.

''Not a chance!"

The knight snarled at the heroine and tried again, using his long limbs to his advantage. ''Just let me have a glance at it!"

''No!" She bent backwards, her arm behind her back, but the man could easily reach her hand even like this.

''Quit being so stubborn!" He sneaked his arms around her torso and reached for the item, but he barely touched it before Ladybug used her flexibility to escape from his hold.

''This is my Lucky Charm!"

''Guys…" Rose started uncertainly. Juleka just shook her head upon their childish behavior.

''And you clearly don't have any idea what to do with it!" He launched himself after her.

''I just need a little time and I will figure it out as always!" She dodged his attempt to grab the compass.

''Hey…guys…" The cheerful girl tried again a little louder this time, but her partner placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head again, meaning that her every endeavor would be in vain. Rose frowned at her then sighed. ''Why are they like this?"

''Give me that stupid compass!"

''Two half of one whole always need time to fit together and it doesn't help that they aren't on the same page." Juleka followed them with her eyes.

''Leave me alone!"

''We have gotten along far better than this, even if we had so different personalities." The pink lady pouted.

''Right after you show me that compass!"

''But we weren't this damn stubborn either." The purple priestess stroked the girl's blond hair gently.

''Why do you have to be so violent?!"

''You say this now, but I remember how you tried to shut out everybody. You didn't even want to talk to me. You weren't the most social person." The cheerful girl reminded Juleka with a teasing smirk.

''Violent my ass, I didn't even touch you!"

The taller woman pouted. ''I had my reasons."

''But you tried to steal my Lucky Charm!"

''I know." The short blonde smiled up to her and bumped her head into her shoulder playfully.

''I didn't try to steal it, I only wanted to have a glance!"

The two priestess glared at the idiotic duo. ''We should still stop them."

Ladybug brought her arm above her head to show the compass. ''You had a glance, now are you satisfied?"

''You can try, but it's futile. Until the balance isn't restored between them – hero to hero, civilian to civilian – the tension will only get stronger." Juleka said, eyeing the blonde man.

''You are kidding me, right?! You showed it barely from two seconds and we are like five meters away from each other!" Adrien shouted incredulously.

''Hero to hero, civilian to civilian…? What do you mean?" Rose asked her counterpart puzzled.

''It's not my fault you don't have good enough sight!" The heroine said mockingly.

Juleka just smirked mischievously.

Rose eyes widened, glee and giddiness filling her entire body. ''You don't mean…! Awww this is so romantic! Are you sure though?"

''Oh, you play dirty… Okay it's up!" The knight growled at the heroine.

''Pretty sure. They won't be able to escape from each other even if they try with all their might."

''Two parts of one whole once again up for the fight!" Rose cheered as she wildly gestured with her arms. Juleka smiled at her, but then frowned.

''But what kind of fight have brought to life such a legendary partnership again." She whispered mostly to herself with worry.

Adrien was about to finally grab the compass when Ladybug lost her grip on it and it went straight up in the air above them, then started to fall. Their eyes widened. In a desperate attempt to prevent the valuable item's doom, the blond man leapt forwards and caught the compass just in time, but during this he unwillingly crashed into the heroine, sweeping her off her feet. Literally.

''I got it!" He said victoriously before he turned his gaze to the woman beneath him. One of his forearms next to her head, with the other he reached above them clutching the item. His legs framing her hips, his body and face dangerously close to hers. They looked into each other's eyes wordlessly, their cheeks tinted with pink. Slowly he brought his hand with the compass to his head, nervously trying to scratch his scalp, but with the item in his hand it was pretty comical attempt. ''Sorry…?" He gave her a sheepish grin, but this was not what got her attention.

Her eyes widened. ''The compass…!"

Confused, Adrien brought down his hand with the said item, looking at it with curiosity, but didn't see anything new.

Ladybug grabbed his hand and turned it in a way that the compass was vertically instead of horizontally and the needle stopped spinning around and pointed in an exact direction. They both followed with their eyes where the compass pointed at and saw that it was pointing indeed at one part of the huge glass dome.

''What the-'' Ladybug started but was cat off by Juleka's voice.

''I see that you figured something out, but is it really necessary for you to remain in that position?" The amusement was unmistakable in her tone.

Adrien tried to stand up but failed miserable as the heroine tried the same and somehow she managed to trip him while doing so, and the man fell back onto her with full force. As they became a mess of tangled limbs and awkward movements none of them uttered a word, only inhuman sounds left their mouths. A few groans and hisses later the duo stood awkwardly next to each other, looking everywhere else than each other.

When the purple priestess saw they were totally out of it and wouldn't look back at the compass for cue, she had to clear her throat to get their attention before she spoke up. ''So… what did you two find during your mature thinking session?" She arched an eyebrow at them, still pretty amused and Rose tried to muffle a giggle with both of her hands.

They looked a little ashamed for a second but in the next moment they abruptly looked at the Lucky Charm again. It was still in Adrien's hand so he offered it back to the heroine who took it and moved it right and left, up and down as she held it vertically.

''It's seems like we have found what the compass is pointing at." Ladybug said, never averting her gaze from the compass until she got the right angle.

''And what's it?" Juleka asked with curiosity.

''I am not certain. It's up there, but it's too high up so I can't say it for sure." The red-clad woman said then looked up straight to the part of the glass dome that featured the first butterfly. ''But I am pretty sure the compass is pointing at The Purple Founder."

The purple priestess followed her gaze and took in the glass image of the said historical figure. He wore a purple tunic, wings on his back and countless butterflies surrounding him. A mask and a gentle smile on his face, he held a cane with a big glass hemisphere as its head in one hand and a pure white butterfly in the other. With so many butterflies already on the creation unpracticed eyes wouldn't notice the butterfly brooch on his tunic below his neck. It really didn't stick out much, but it had a strange gleam to it that drew the eye. It was weird. The images of the other miraculouses weren't like this.

The heroine glanced at Juleka and their eyes met. When Ladybug saw how uneasy the priestess was she knew right away this was it. She had to look at it closer. She brought out her yo-yo, but before she could hook it around a pillar and lift herself into the air a voice stopped her.

''Wait…" Juleka said as she grabbed her arm. The heroine thought she wanted to stop her and yanked herself out of her grip, but the priestess stopped her again. ''Are you sure the compass is pointing at it?" She asked with a very serious face.

''I am not sure that the compass is pointing at it or not, but I trust my instincts and that must be it." Ladybug said firmly.

Panic rushed across the priestess' face, but it was gone and replaced with a calm seriousness in the next moment. ''Then get it. We need to get out of here as soon as possible." She released her grip on the red-clad woman and with quick steps she made her way to Rose and the people who had came with them.

She grabbed her yo-yo again and aimed to the nearest pillar to the butterfly figure, but the next interruption came in the form of a tremendous growl from the entrance – the only way in and out, and as it was their only escape path. Slowly huge steps could be heard and a gigantic three-headed shadow monster emerged from the doorway.

People screamed in fear and rushed to the opposite side of the library. The two priestesses were standing front of them, Juleka already making a shield while Rose prepared some counter-attack. Adrien also stood in battle stance, but remained in the middle of the library. He raised his swords with a fierce look in his eyes glaring at the monster.

Silence fell on them for a few moments, tension rising with every second, until a menacing voice echoed through the place.

''Well, well, if it's not our famous heroine of the story, Ladybug personally." The figure belonged to the voice slowly stepped out from the shadows, showing his inhuman shape, surging dark energy surrounding him. ''You are just in time for a good show." He smirked. ''But you can make this easier for both of us. Just leave the place and I will spare you and your little companions. For now." He added the last part with a malicious growl.

Ladybug narrowed her eyes as she glared at the humanoid monster who was at least twice her size, but didn't falter in her resolve. ''Who are you?"

''Doesn't matter. You will find out soon eventually." He said with a confident smile. Other dark creatures crept out from the shadows as well, leaving the companion in a difficult situation.

The heroine eyed the people behind her. She can take on the talking pest, and the two priestesses could probably hold their ground against the smaller monsters' attack for the time being, but what should they do about the three-headed over-sized shadow hound? Was there any chance Adrien could manage it until she came up with something or was it a lost case?

She had limited information and options. She didn't know what the shadow creature wanted, let alone for what he wanted to use it, but as things were she was pretty sure it was nothing remotely good.

Whatever the glass image of the butterfly brooch hid she had to get before he could lay his hands on it.

She glanced at the scared group of people with the two women then Adrien. This was no good. Without purification they couldn't possible deal with the impure monsters. They would just keep reforming themselves. She bit his lower lip as she contemplated her options. Or her lack of options.

''Well? What's your answer, Ladybug?" The humanoid figure asked again.

The heroine gave a side glance to the knight and they eyes met, he immediately nodded and charged forward as she hooked her yo-yo around the top of a pillar.

''So be it." The creature said before he vaulted himself up after Ladybug meeting with her in the air with a wide swing of his blade like limb. The woman barely dodged the weapon and kicked the creature with all her might to the side. The monster crashed into the wall just below the glass dome. The same momentum sent her to the opposite wall and she secured herself with her yo-yo around a pillar.

''Why do monsters keep to be this heavy..." She muttered to herself. Even kicking this thing felt hard, let alone send him flying. She looked up and met with the creature's eyes. They exchanged looks then their gaze snapped back at the vibrant glass piece. 'Wait, when did it become vibrant?' Ladybug asked in herself, her eyes slightly wide, but she had no time to waste as the monster jumped up, clearly intended to get what he came for.

He reached out for the glass piece, his limbs back to actual arms to grab the item, before the heroine's feet collided with his legs, breaking his momentum. He landed on the side of a pillar glaring daggers at the woman. ''You can't win this, Ladybug."

''Your kind maybe fast on the ground but slow in the air. This is my field." She smirked back at him, but from the corner of her eyes she sneaked a glance down to see how the others were managing. Adrien stood his ground pretty well considering he was up against a three meters tall, three-headed shadow monster. The dark hound kept attacking him both from the front and from the sides with its three heads, trying to get a clear bite out of him, but he dodged flawlessly cutting and stabbing the creature again and again. It was a shame it regenerated to fast to allow this strategy to work.

She frowned. He couldn't possibly keep this up for too long. She should help him somehow, but she had her own opponent to take care of. The monster vaulted himself into the air again and the heroine followed suit.

Below them on the ground her other allies kept fighting as well. Juleka blocked the wolf and lion like shadows then pinned them to the ground with her power. Power over the shadows came into hand in their situation.

Rose tried to purify them as fast as she could while Juleka kept them immobilized, but her power was not just meant for purification during a battle and on still very lively creatures. As their resistance and will wasn't broken they struggled against her spell and it made things a lot harder.

One of the wolves broke free from Juleka's hold and vaulted itself right to Rose. Horror flooded the eyes of the purple priestess, but in the last second a worker jumped on the creature and both crushed to the ground. The man kept hitting the shadow wolf with his heavy iron gauntlets relentlessly. The rest of the workers encouraged by their comrade's act joined the fight as well and attacked the monsters. With their help the two priestesses took control over the situation again.

Meanwhile Adrien kept fighting with the huge three-headed shadow hound that really wanted a piece out of him. It attacked again and again with its mouths full of sharp teeth. He bowed, dodged and redirected its heads while managed to deliver countless slashes, strikes, cuts and stabs to the monster, but it simply wasn't enough. As he kept attacking and delivering hits the monster kept regenerating and he couldn't possibly hit its vital points while he was stuck with its heads and couldn't get to its back or stomach. He tried a few times to slip below the creature to find his way out but each time the monster followed him just as fast.

The fight between the heroine and the leader was just as much forlorn. Their chase continued as one tried to get the piece while the other tried to stop him in his intent. Ladybug was getting tired and she kept glancing down to the others. When the shadow hound managed to bite into Adrien's arm and he cried out in pain she got distracted for a moment and the monster used this opportunity to jump up again, leaving the heroine little time to react. She couldn't reach him in time. Not with her body anyway. So she jumped instead to the ground, hooking her yo-yo around his ankle to bring him down with her. The creature however, broke his fall on one of the pillars and used her weapon against her as he grabbed then pulled on the string of the yo-yo and with it on Ladybug as well. The momentum was enough to send the heroine into one of the pillars. He was strong and she landed painfully on the ground next to the statue of Panthere Noir, groaning.

The monster showed her a wide grin before freeing himself from the string and jumping up to the glass dome yet again to get fragment.

''Oh, I don't think so." She growled then grabbed the marble sword of the statue, breaking it down and with a full body spin she threw it right into the glass ceiling just before the monster reached his target. The force of the impact traveled through the entire dome, crushing it into pieces of glass and stone. At first just a few debris fell along with the desired item, but slowly the whole ceiling started to crumble.

''No!" The monster yelled in anger as he missed the vibrating fragment, but he had no time to jump after it as a metal string hooked around his arms.

''Purification!" Shouted Ladybug and the string lit up in pure white light. The humanoid shadow cried out in pain as his body was thrown into one of the pillars, fighting against the hold of the string with no avail. He struggled and writhed as the light enveloped his forelimbs and they dispersed into ash.

The huge shadow hound was seemingly distracted by its master's distress and this gave time to Adrien to scan his surroundings and come up with some sort of plan. He saw that one of the pillars was damaged both in its base and its top and he decided to use it for his advantage.

''Come, little doggie!" He yelled to the monster and it was enough to get its attention fully back on him. The creature launched itself to him, but he dodged its every attempt to bite him flawlessly leading it right to the pillar. ''This is all you are capable of?" The knight even put some dancing moves into his act to mock and anger the monster further and he was successful. With a huge jump the hound attacked him, but he lept the the side and the creature collided with the already damaged pillar. The force was enough, it was the last straw. The base crumbled loudly and the the entire pillar fell right on the monster. It had a last useless effort to free itself, but eventually collapsed to the ground with the marble column on it.

The entire glass dome crumbled by then and huge parts of it started to fall down to the people below. Ladybug had no time to waste.

''Miraculous ladybug!" She shouted while throwing the red and black compass into the air that dissipated into thousands of shiny ladybugs, restoring every damage that occurred until the purification.

The glass dome was back in place along with the pillar and other damages throughout the castle. Everybody sighed in relief, but it was too early to celebrate as the shadow monster struggled to his feet. ''I won't let you stand in my way." He growled then turned to the injured but still living hound lying on the ground. ''Come, my servant. Lend me your power!"

Everybody's blood ran cold as the two creature fused into one. They tried in vain to interfere. Even Ladybug's yo-yo couldn't get through and fell back when she tried to hook it around the fusing monster. Purifying single limbs or other parts was futile at this point, so they watched in horror as the new, four-eyed and three meters tall demon with six limbs emerged from the darkness. He grinned wickedly at them. ''What's that, oh heroine of the story? Will you still be able to stop me?" He mocked her then looked up to the vibrant piece. ''And now… it's time to get what belongs to me."

He jumped up and Ladybug followed suit, hooking her yo-yo to one of his wrists, but he grabbed the string immediately and smashed the heroine into a pillar. She cried out in pain, but still managed to launch herself into the air again, kicking her opponent and with that redirecting his momentum. Both of them crushed into the opposite wall. In the next moment three fist were directed towards Ladybug as the monster clung to the wall with one hand, trying to crush the heroine for good. She barely dodged all of them then jumped back into the air. Her opponent followed her immediately however, punching her with enormous power. She evaded the first one but the second hit her, sending her into a wall again. She collected herself yet again launching back into fight as she didn't just get one or two bones broken.

This desperate fight went on as the people below watched it, as breathless and helpless as they were. Adrien felt physical pain as he could do little to nothing to help whereas was forced to watch as the heroine continued to get serious injuries and was getting closer and closer to her breaking point.

''Can't you help her somehow? Cast a spell or something?" He asked the two women next to him with an agonized tone. ''We have to do something, she can't possibly keep this up."

Just then Ladybug collided with the wall yet again with a loud crash. As the heroine was persistent to stop the monster's every attempt to get what he wanted the creature's patience was getting thin and his anger was growing, and along with that the desire to kill the girl once and for all.

''Can't you go up and help her? You got those spearguns, don't you?" Juleka asked pointing at the equipment.

''They shoot out fast, but lift me pretty slowly, so I would only make a target out of myself and get in her way or distract her, and even if I could get up there in one piece this place was made out of glass and stone, my magnetic boots are useless here." He looked down on his armor helplessly then back to the heroine again with pleading eyes, like he was waiting for some kind of miracle or something to help her.

She crushed to the ground with a loud thud, but still managed to pull the demon with her. The creature grabbed one of the pillars to break his fall and looked down at her with an expression between annoyed and victorious. She gritted her teeth as she rose to her feet.

''You know, you can't win this, why are you so persistent to hurt yourself?" He asked mockingly.

She raised her head to look at him and gave him a confident smirk. ''What can I say? It comes with the job description."

''Insolent brat." He snarled back at her, wasn't noticing as she put one of her hands behind her back and showed a signal every knight would recognize. The signal of back up.

Adrien narrowed his eyes in anticipation, both of them hoping with all their might that this soulmate thing wasn't complete bullshit.

She gave him the next sign 'now' and he immediately grabbed a metal bar from one of the workers. As the demon vaulted himself up again towards the vibrant fragment, he threw the makeshift spear right in front of him, in the same time Ladybug called for her Lucky Charm. The metal bar crushed into the glass dome next to the fragment making it fall, a large red and polka-dote blanket fell into the heroine's hands, and a very angry demon tried to catch the falling piece with no success.

Ladybug looked around frantically then jumped in the air, hooking her yo-yo around a pillar while Adrien prepared to shoot with his spearguns. The demon's attention was so focused on his target that the blanked flying between him and the fragment took him off-guard. He grabbed the red material to push it out of his way, but a yo-yo span around his head and the blanked and in the next moment the metal string enclosed the rug on him, successfully blocking his vision and tugging him backwards. Two spears pierced through his ankles and the knight and heroine pulled on the strings together, one of them jumping down while the other spun on his feet and the monster collided with a marble pillar, breaking it in half with his momentum.

Ladybug ran to the vibrant piece, snatching it up from the ground, but as she did so, her yo-yo's string came loose and the demon freed himself and with a pull he tugged Adrien towards himself, enclosing one of his hand around his neck, another grabbing the Lucky Charm. Meanwhile Ladybug hooked her weapon around the monster's neck, ready to activate her purification. She took in a shuddering breath after she came to a halt. Some of her broken ribs must have pierced her lungs because it was harder to breath with every second, but she had no time to ponder on that. She had more urgent matters in hand.

They reached a standoff where nobody could make any move, only glare at each other.

''Just try to use your power on me and I accidentally smash your little knight's neck in my pain." He grinned at her wickedly.

Ladybug snarled, her heartbeat picking up. She had to swallow her surging panic. It was a completely new experience for her, she never felt like this before. Like someone threatened to take away, no, tear out a part of her very soul. An unnatural, unknown and really disturbing feeling. Just what had this soulmate crap done with her? It's not like she hadn't faced with enemies who had took hostages before. She have been worried about them, wanted to save them, put her life on the line for them. But never, never ever before was she this desperate to get someone out from the enemy's grip. The power of this emotion utmost frightened her. She found herself fighting an inner battle to take control again. Yes, she should keep her cool, never let anything disturb her to the point where she couldn't think straight. She took a deep breath and the physical pain cleared her mind a little.

''Let him go. There is no way out of this." She said calmly, but her eyes twitched when she heard the tell-tale beeps of her earrings. She had only four minutes left. She could see the puzzled glances from the workers and Rose along with the worried expression from Juleka.

The demon smirked. ''It seems like you are running out of time, my dear heroine." He looked at the knight in his hand and squeezed his neck a little harder. Ladybug snarled. ''Don't you want this handsome young lad back at your side? He is surly worth as much as that teeny-weeny little fragment in your hand." The monster said in a fake sweet voice.

''Just let him go so you can escape you coward." She growled at him. He laughed.

''It's funny. You are the second person to call me that this night after that oh so foolish king. It didn't end well for him though, so maybe you should be more careful with your words." The demon smirked as his grasp went even tighter around Adrien's neck. He gasped and Ladybug's eyes widened in horror before she schooled her emotions back in place. Juleka tried to make a move, but quickly stopped when the demon turned towards her with a smile. ''Ah ah ah, you want him back alive, don't you?"

Another beeping could be heard and another spot disappeared from her earrings. Three minutes left.

''Let's be real, Ladybug. If you wait any longer, you will lose any chance to save him." The monster smirked again then shook his hand with the knight as he was some kind of rug-doll. ''You know that as soon as I am out of your yo-yo's hold, I will snap his neck in two. Of course, unless you give me what I want."

Ladybug narrowed her eyes. Why did he want to make a deal with her? He obviously knew her time was up. He should just wait out a few more minutes until her transformation dropped and he had a clear victory. Unless… unless his time was up too and was running out faster than hers.

She smirked.

''Why are you so happy? You are about to get your partner and yourself killed." The demon narrowed his eyes.

''You are over-confident considering the fact you are about to get killed. Your time is up as well. Should we wait out who will be the first running out of options?" She narrowed her eyes as well and had a dangerous light in them. ''Let him go, then you can save your coward life."

The monster gritted his teeth and growled at her, before a loud rumbling went through the walls and the entire place shook. From the distance the screams of painfully bending metal echoed. The castle that was moving constantly since the main evacuation was over came to a halt.

The demon mouth stretched into a frightening smirk.

''You lost." He stated simply in a sweet tone.

''Wha-'' But before the heroine could utter the words the building came into motion again, or you could said it started to fall with increasing speed.

They had kept fighting with the monsters in the main areas to save and evacuate as many guests and staff members as they could, completely oblivious to the fact that the shadow creatures got themselves into the supporting systems surrounding the core. Cutting them out they managed to stop every energy transport, making all the generators run down at the same time.

''I think I won our little contest Ladybug. What do you think would happen if the whole castle crushed into the city center with all the people celebrating tonight from this high?"

Her eyes widened.

''Everybody down there and still inside this castle would die, and for what? For a little shiny fragment? Is it worth it? I don't think so." The demon cooed, obviously sure in his victory.

''You would die as well you idiot!" She yelled at him, but he only smirked.

''I am not that fragile."

She gritted her teeth, she had no choice, ha wasn't lying and they approached the ground quickly. They had probably less than a minute. She had no other choice.

''Let him go, and I want my Lucky Charm back along with one of your arms."

''Give me the fragment."

''You go first, I am the heroine here." She glared at him, he shrugged.

''Then let me go."

Ladybug retracted her weapon from his neck and he finally let go of Adrien who gasped for air. Then the creature promptly cut down one of his arms and along with the red and black polka-dote blanked threw it to the heroine while she did the same with the vibrant fragment. She caught the arm with her yo-yo and purified it as the demon caught the piece and bid her farewell. ''It was a pleasure doing busniss with you. For the next time, my dear heroine!" And he disappeared in the shadow of the doorway

Before they could collide with the earth below Ladybug threw her Lucky Charm into the air and shouted 'Miraculous ladybug!' The thousands of shiny ladybugs fixed the castle and made it stop, and healed their injuries. She could breath freely again. But right after the first few painless breaths, guilt flooded her all over. Another beep came.

''I… I failed." She looked down with glassy eyes. She had never failed before. She slowly walked to one of the marble pillars to steady herself. She couldn't breath. What had she done? She looked down in shame at her yo-yo and didn't even notice when Adrien came up to her side. The others silently watched them from afar.

''You saved thousands of lives." He tried to reassure her in vain. She didn't even look at him.

''And how many I put in danger? Whatever that demon want to do with that fragments it's surely nothing good, and now he has it." She turned to him with eyes full of self-contempt.

''You had really no choice." He tried to comfort her again but with no success.

''Yes, I had, and I made my choice." She looked away from him.

''Do you… do you regret not sacrificing me?" He asked uncertainly while tried to hide his hurt.

Her eyes widened. ''Wha-…! Of course not! I would have never sacrificed you!" She almost yelled at him. The sheer thought of sacrificing him made her feel sick as her entire being refused even the idea. She was surprised yet again how powerful this soulmate thing was. Of course, she would never just sacrifice somebody, but she was taken aback from the intensity of her own reaction. She had to collect herself before she spoke up again. ''Don't worry about it. I will solve this somehow."

''But it's my fault. If I didn't get caught, if I have been more careful then we would have won.'' He said with shame.

Ladybug looked up at him for real this time straight into his eyes. ''No, Adrien. You are a civilian, and heroes don't blame or sacrifice civilians."

''I am not a civilian, i am a knight!" He looked at her incredulously.

''For me you are a civilian just like any others. It's my responsibility to take down the villain and protect the civilians as a hero, not yours. So… don't worry about any of this." They heard another beep from her earrings. She sighed and turned away from him. ''If you excuse me, I have an urgent matter to take care of." She started to walk out of the library, but she gave a last glance over her shoulder to the man. ''Please, don't follow me. Any of you. I will be back in a few minutes."

Ladybug exited through the huge doors leaving a very taken aback knight staring at the empty place she occupied just a moment ago. Adrien never felt this helpless and useless in his entire life before. He felt weak. A weak man who couldn't even stand on equal grounds with her. Not with his current power. But… what could he do?

 **Author note:**

 **1, I promise the next chapter is not this depressing, but the story-line demanded all of this and I will stick with the original concept.**  
 **2, Some of you may question how their power works in this universe, but the explanation is part of a later chapter, but to avoid utter confusion: Ladybug can only have one Lucky Charm at a time, it doesn't disappear when her transformation wear off, but if it already fulfilled its purpose and can't be used for purification it's better to discard it or it will drain Tikki. She needs her Lucky Charm AND purification to activate her Miraculous Cure and it restores everything to the point the last purification happened. And her whole yo-yo is able to do the trick. This is all planed out, i promise, with logic and mechanism and everything, but it's meaningless to tell more at this point. It will be all explained with other power alternations and I hope nobody would feel it completely random or out of story.**  
 **3, I will probably go with shorter chapters and more frequent updates because long chapters drain me out.**

 **And last but not least: I am still not so good with English and it takes a lot of time write in a language you are learning from the internet, so if you have time and energy don't hesitate to make suggestions, give advice, point out grammar or other mistakes, or just tell me outright I am bad and should hide under a rock. (I would probably not, but you can still tell me.) I would appreciate any kind of help, I promise!**  
 **Likewise with contradictions in the story. I hate them with passion, so I will give you an award or something if you point out one or more. I will be like 'Oh hell, nooo! How could I make such a mistake?! I have thought I carefully planed this out! Thank you! Thank you so much! I will name a child after you!' So don't hesitate!**


	9. Wedding night

The red-clad heroine walked and walked with a grim expression on her face until pink light washed over her and she was reverted back to her civilian form. She stopped, but her eyes were fixated on the floor. The former dark hallways got back their lighting so she wasn't surrounded by darkness now, but she still felt like she in fact was inside a bottomless pitch black pit, breathless and drowning. Not until her kwami spoke up could she snap out of her suffocating numbness.

''Marinette, are you okay?" Tikki asked while she floated up to her chosen's eye-level, worry all over her little face.

''I…" She began but suddenly she couldn't find the words. The kwami looked at her concerned. This gave her enough strength to collect herself and get her thoughts and words straight. ''I am okay, Tikki. Or I will be. I just need… time."

''You need more than time, Marinette." The little creature gave her a sad smile. ''But everything will be okay, I promise." She nudged the girl's cheek with her tiny head, trying to reassure her.

''What will I do, Tikki? I failed. I failed miserably." She looked down in shame, but Tikki grabbed her face with her small paws and made her chosen look at her in the eye.

''You never failed to be a hero. Everything else doesn't matter. You can lose a battle when you are unprepared or just don't have enough power or option like now, but if you fail to be a hero then the entire war is lost." The kwami gave her the most sincere smile she have ever seen from her. ''You never cease to be a hero so you can always win in the end."

''But I can't fight with… with this! That thing! What was that thing anyway?" She asked while wildly gestured with her arms. ''I have never seen anything like that! It's a good thing I could purify it so easily though. Most of the times it requires much more. It was like it was pure… disturbance…" She trailed off as she finished her sentence and her eyes widened. ''It was pure disturbance! But how is that even possible?!" She grabbed the kwami, her eyes still comically wide. Tikki giggled at her chosen's antics. It was good to see that she snapped out of her grim state.

''Slow down, Marinette." The little creature carefully untangled herself from the girl's hold, still smiling. ''Yes, those creatures were in fact pure disturbance and from some of the worse kind. But I don't think you have to worry about them right now. It's not like monsters like that can freely roam the land all time. It had to be some special circumstances that made this possible and as I can tell, those circumstances are no longer present. You remember that thing wanted to get away from here fast. Just as you figured his time was up and he had to make a run for it."

''But what or who was he? And why did he want that strange glass shard so much? I feel like that priestess knew exactly what was going on, but I doubt she would tell me anything if I asked. It will be better if I ask Master Fu. I have to ask him about her sudden disappearance anyway." The girl sighed exasperatedly. ''This was too much for one single night. I had to attend this hellish ceremony, got married, fought with real living disturbance and I met a woman who probably knows about the miraculouses."

The little kwami's face was taken over by a mischievous smirk. ''And the night isn't even over."

''Hah?" Marinette asked confused.

''Silly, it's your wedding night!" Tikki flew around her chosen's head and was dancing a little while the said girl visibly paled, then her cheeks erupted in a fierce blush.

''No! No no no no no! I can't do it, Tikki! We just had a fight and he almost died and I almost died and everybody almost died, this is no time for first nights and such!" She was rambling while the blush crept from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. She then squeaked and hid her face from her kwami. ''Argh Tikki, why did you have to say this? How will I face him now?!"

''It's not like the fact will change depending on I say it out loud or not. You have to play your part in this marriage or you will offend this country and bring shame to your own. And beside…" Tikki finished her pep talk with a knowing, devilish smirk. ''He is EXACTLY your type."

For this the girl's head shot up and she glared at her kwami. ''No, he is not!"

''Yes he is.'' Tikki said in her high pitched sing-song voice. ''He is brave, he is kind, he is handsome, oh and last but not least he is your soulmate!"

''Oh, don't tell me you believe any of this soulmate crap!" Marinette glared at the kwami but she just deadpanned at her.

''Marinette. Don't think I couldn't feel your distress while he was held by his neck. You practically had a panic attack."

''That's because of their strange matchmaking woo-doo magic! I am clearly affected by whatever they did to me." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked away, pouting.

''Mari, they didn't use any mysterious magic on you. The ceremony only bonds the persons together and in the case of you two, it just revived your soulmate connection, nothing more."

''Tikki, soulmates are mere fairy tales. They are originated from here because in this country people can fall in love and marry only once and it's easier to accept if they think they are marrying their so called soulmate. But as we all know, fairy tales aren't reality and most people don't live happily ever after."

Tikki looked at her somewhat between disappointed and annoyed. ''You know Marinette, if the girl I met ten years ago would see you now she would be very disappointed."

''I know, I am a walking disappointment for everybody, especially after tonight."

''Oh don't give me this bullshit, Mari. You know I didn't mean it like that! You were such a cheerful and happy girl, always positive and looking at the bright side in every situation. Full of dreams, full of life! What happened?" Tikki asked, but she knew exactly what had happened. Her chosen was alone. She was alone and it started to wear her off for a long time now. She hoped it would change soon. After all, every real ladybug needed her partner.

''Life happened, Tikki. I grew up and grew out from fairy tales." The girl said grumpily.

''You say that, but you still believe in true love and happy endings. After all your parents have their happily ever after." The kwami still tried to convince her somehow.

''I didn't say I don't believe in happy endings all together. I just don't think I will have one."

Okay, this took Tikki a little off guard as her eyes widened with shock. She hoped, really hoped that the help was on their way because no ladybug should have reached this state of resignation. Her breaking point was close, way too close for her liking.

The kwami pushed her worry down her throat. She didn't need to worry her chosen even more instead she tried to somehow win time for them. ''Please, Mari. At least try to be nice to this young man. It's not like he is the devil himself."

''You know exactly what will happen if I show any special interest in a civilian. I have enemies, Tikki. And they will target anybody to get to me no matter his rank or social standing."

''Okay, don't be all lovey-dovey with him, but you can still try to be nice. Because as I can see you gave him a very special treatment up till now, just not a right one. You were a jerk to him, don't even try to deny it."

The kwami had a triumphant smirk as her chosen scoffed. She knew she won this fight.

''Okay, I admit I wasn't exactly… nice to him. But he annoys the hell out of me!"

''You are in this mess together. You have to solve it together too. And don't be surprised when you get back what you give." Tikki gave her a stern look and the girl broke under her gaze.

''Alright, alright. I will do it, just no more pep talk. I had enough of that for this night."

''Then get back to your husband and make it up with him."

The kwami didn't miss as Mari's face turned into a scarlet mess again. She loved this flustered Marinette. Far better than the current closed-up, mission-oriented Marinette. This was a step back in the good direction. And if she had to tease her relentlessly in the next couple of weeks or months to make sure she regained of some of her old, lively self, then she would happily continue to embarrass her chosen at every given chance. Oh, she had to tell Alya as soon as possible. She needed the back-up.

''You think you can keep up the transformation?" Marinette asked a little concerned.

''If it's just the mask then it really shouldn't be a problem. You still have some remaining cookies, right?" Tikki smiled back at her.

About five minutes later the heroine – only in her mask as she didn't want to drain Tikki – walked back inside to library to meet up with the others. Her gaze immediately zeroed on Adrien as she wanted to somehow make things better between them, but as the heroine looked at him she internally gasped. The poor man hung his head down in shame, not even dare to lift his eyes to her. Her heart sunk. 'I really must have been a jerk to him…' she thought and grimaced. Somehow she had to make things right, or at least better.

''Adrien?" She slowly took a few steps towards him. She neared him so careful as someone would do with a ready-to-jump, utterly scared wild animal, and it didn't help on her hesitancy when he finally looked up at her with those dejected puppy eyes. She was completely, utterly, irrevocably lost. Now that the heat of the battle and the constant presence of the enemy didn't get all her attention she finally had to face with the consequences of her fool-mouth and thoughtless behavior. Normally she would never act with people the way she did with this man, even if they were hard to get along. Why had she acted like this? She was usually pretty friendly, compassionate, patient and kind. And how was she acting with this person? The completely opposite. And he didn't even deserve it. It wasn't like he forced her into this situation or that he mistreated her in any way. In the contrary, he tried to help her with all his power even though he was just a simple knight. He had bravely fought alongside with her, risking his life, and she had behaved like the rudest person in the world.

She looked away from him and sighed. 'Yeah, I am a total jerk.'

Ladybug brought her eyes back to Adrien and she opened her lips to speak, but the sight of the gloomy knight made her silent yet again. She didn't know what to say. After opening and closing her mouth several times to form the correct words, she eventually gave up and went back to safe waters by uttering out only one, formal sentence with a pretty neutral undertone. ''Let's go back to the throne room, see if we can do something." She even tried to smile for him, but her gesture, meant to be reassuring, was ignored as Adrien silently walked past her, not making eye contact or say anything to her at all.

She sighed again. 'Just great, really great Marinette. You just got married and already need pair therapy to even speak to each other after this. Serves you right.' She mumbled to herself, but Rose and Juleka heard it eventually and gave her pitying looks.

The entire way back to the upper floors was a silent torture.

The two priestesses went in the front leading the others, leaving the knight and the heroine walk beside each other in an awkward silence. Adrien didn't once look in her way. He kept staring blankly at the hallway, eyes unfocused and empty. Ladybug had more than one attempt to speak to him, but faltered every time. She really wasn't good with those kind of things, she concluded, but she still tried to form some kind of plan to change things for the better. Her failed tries didn't went unnoticed as the blonde girl in front of them continued sneaking glanced at them and gave the same pitying look to her as before when she saw how truly lost the heroine was.

She knew the girl was pure good-will and didn't want to offend her in any way, but she really hated all the pity she received. Thanks, but she didn't need any of it, she would work this out somehow. She believed she could, she just didn't know how yet.

When they finally made it back to the upper area the two women excused themselves and bid goodbye to them. It appeared they had some pressing matter to take care of in hand after the attack. The large group of workers slowly decreased in number as they moved forward, most of them simply went back either working, to the dorms they lived in or to one of the exits to get out of the castle after all this nightmare.

They didn't need a guide to find the throne room, Adrien moved around the main area with ease and led them to their destination without any problem. As they reached the large, two-winged door they suddenly stopped in their track, taking in the numerous knights and other staff members buzzing around the entrance. The two of them looked at each other confused then back at the crowd.

''Adrien, niece-in-law!" A voice called out for them and the owner ran up to them tackling them both in a bear hug. ''I was so worried! I am so happy you are out of trouble. Let me see you!" Amalie grabbed the blond's face and pulled it down. She turned his head left and right, then nodded and punched him in the guts. Adrien painfully yelped and automatically took a step back.

''Why did you hit me?" He asked with an incredulous face.

''For one, because you recklessly ran head-first into danger. Again. And for two, because I wanted to see if you are really okay." Amalie gave her nephew a satisfied smirk.

He just grumbled in dismay.

''And you?" She turned to the heroine, who seeing the events unfolded in front of her eyes, took a tentative step back, but she couldn't escape from the arms launched towards her. ''Let me see you, Honey!" The woman grabbed her arm, inspecting it then went for the other one, then to her face, lastly she pulled on her waist. Ladybug yelped in surprise and was a little wierded out when the older woman leaned into her personal space and narrowed her eyes upon her breast. ''Your Miraculous Cure can make wonders. You had so much fracture, but it's all gone now. Unbelievable." Amalie sighed in wonder.

''You can see how the Cure worked?" The heroine's eyes widened. ''How?"

''I can only see the traces it left behind. They will soon disappear, but they are still there. It looks like the cure restores everything the disturbance affected, but it still takes time to fixate the process." The woman said, still inspecting her body. ''You need to be careful, Honey." She looked up and locked eyes with the heroine. Her gaze held a seriousness she rarely showed and it caught Adrien's attention as well. ''An incomplete spell can be always reversed. Don't take the Cure's healing power granted."

Ladybug looked back at her a little taken aback. She didn't really know what to make out of this woman's warning. Amalie saw her uncertainty and gave her a reassuring smile. ''Sorry, I am a little too forward sometimes." She scratched the back of her neck apologetically.

''No-No problem!" The heroine gave her an awkward smile as she started to play with a loose lock of her hair.

''Awww, she is so cute!" Amalie tackled her again in a half-hug, placing one of her arms around her while punching her nephew with the other.

''Hey!" He yelped painfully rubbing the sore spot on his arm. ''Now why? And why didn't she get one too? She ran into danger as well!"

''Because you let her get hurt for once, and how could I ever hate this lil' cuteness. She is sooo adorable!" She said as she trapped the heroine in a bone crushing hug now with both arms and rubbed their cheeks together.

Ladybug was at a loss. She didn't know what to say or how to react to this sudden affection. But the white dressed priestess continued to run soothing circles on the small of her back that went unnoticed by the knight, and honestly, it was really relaxing and nice, the heroine's tension started to vanish. Amalie smiled warmly at her new little kitten. She couldn't let those two go to their first night together with all the tension between them and a little magic trick wouldn't harm. She didn't know what happened and how could a boy normally so friendly and bright who had never really kept a grudge against anyone, and a girl famous of her kind and compassionate nature who was open and nice to anyone from any background, be so frustrated with each other. It seemed like something beyond normal frustration.

''Where is my father? Is he safe?" Adrien asked when his eyes couldn't find the man in question anywhere.

''Oh, I was trying to find him up til now, but it seems like he escaped. I am sure he is fine, that man never does anything near reckless or out of the line." The priestess answered somewhat mockingly.

The knight frowned. ''Why didn't you evacuate as well when you couldn't find him? This place was a battlefield and you are not exactly a fighter."

Amalie glared back at her nephew.

''I can protect myself just fine, thank you. You should rather be concerned with your still pending issue."

''What issue?" He asked confused.

''What issue?" She looked at him incredulously. ''For Miraculia! It's you wedding night!"

Both youngsters turned bright red.

''How could you even forget that when you have literally a goddess of a wife to take home with you?" Amalie showed the heroine forward right into the arms of the knight. ''You have still an entire night to spend together! What are you waiting for? Let's go home!" She announced cheerfully and dragged the two away from the throne room. She gave one last glance to the large door. She didn't need them to worry about things like that right now. It's not like they could do anything about the king anyway.

The two young adults glanced at each other at the same time, desperation clear on their faces, but when their eyes met they turned bright red again and averted their gazes immediately.

This night was going to be a hell-a long night.

~~~oOo~~~

''Mmmmmm" Came a grumpy moan from the blonde woman and she tightened her grip on the man. ''Be more gentle~" She whispered into his ear. He turned bright red and shook her to take revenge.

''Stay put. It was already hard enough to carry you home after you drunk too much and made that commotion."

''Mmmm, you said I should enjoy the night to the fullest, Red. And beside, I was not the one who started that little pub brawl." Chloe leaned forward so her lips brushed against Nath's earlobe. He shivered as his eyes widened before he regained his composure and growled under his breath.

Yeah, he in all honesty said that she should enjoy herself to the fullest. But it never occurred to him that enjoying herself would involve two sugar-apple, three different cakes, a lot of honey crisp – really, she was addicted to that stuff – a whole bunch of rides in the new Steam World amusement park, twenty-five! different game at festival booths – she was either hell-a good at them and didn't want to break her winning streak, or so terribly bad that combined with her being a sore loser, they couldn't leave until she somehow managed to win, that involved some threatening and bribery as well from his part – and for the worst part, a lot of alcohol. He didn't know what kind of monster he released to the world until it was too late.

''You didn't start it? You hit that man square in the face with a barstool!"

''He insulted me first. He said I was a cheater." She shifted again and her breasts were pressing against his back now. He wanted to drop her so much. At least that was what he kept saying to himself while he refused to acknowledge his frantic heartbeats and the furious blush that covered his face.

''But you cheated, you didn't play according to the rules!" He retorted annoyed as he managed to unlock the front door of his apartment with only one hand while the other had to hold the girl's leg. He was supposed to keep her up with both hands, but he couldn't possible get inside without using at least one of his hands. The blonde's body started to slid down and his entire body bent down and he immediately brought back his hand to get a hold on her again, preventing her from falling onto her butt. But the heroic save proved to be not enough for the woman on his back as she let out an disgruntled groan and pulled on his hair.

''You always dropped me, you sorry excuse for a husband!"

''Stop pulling on my hair, you spoiled princess!" Nathaniel tried to free his hair form her grip, but found it difficult without his hands, so he took out his anger on the door and with a rough kick he slammed to door open. Walking in, he kicked it close behind them as well.

Chloe suddenly let go of his red locks and she buried her face into them instead. ''They knew the rules wrong. They tried to trick me." Her voice came out muffled as she muttered her words into his soft hair.

''I won't argue with you about rules when the game has anything to do with pubs, gambling and men with fishy background. I told you, you shouldn't play with those kind of people in the first place." His eyes narrowed into a glare as the memory came back to him. ''You let people provoke you so easily."

''But you have to admit, we were kinda cool. The two of us took down that sorry horde of muscle heads. I have never pledged you as a fighter, Red!" She laughed heart-fully as only a very drunk person could who had no restrictions anymore.

Nath let out an annoyed huff. ''You could get injured. I would say, you shouldn't let people get to you and jump into fight so easily, but it would be a waste of my time seeing how much a violent little bean you are." He said the last part obviously mockingly.

''Awww, Red you actually care!" She giggled into his ear then did something that got him totally off guard. She licked him.

''Whaaaa-!" His cheeks erupted into a crimson blush and her hold loosened around her legs, resulting a startled screech from her and her forcefully climbing to his shoulders to avoid falling down. This, of course, put the man off balance and he fell forward with the woman still clinging to him. He still considered himself lucky, as he already managed to reach the bedroom and he only had to crawl a few meters before he could climb into the soft bed. Why didn't he just let go of the blonde, stood up, and carried her in his arms to the bed? For one, he was to tired of everything to do so, and two, the girl in question refused to let him go. So he grumbled under his breath and made his way to his destination, climbed onto the soft blankets and rolled over to free himself from the death grip, a satisfied moan escaping his mouth when she finally let go and he could breath again.

He sit up then tried to stand, but a hand on his wrist stopped him. ''No alcohol for you for the next ten years."

''Don't go, Red." She whined then brought his hand to her cheek and rubbed it to his fingers. ''You are so waaaarm."

He was certain the warmth of his fingers was nothing compared to the temperature of his face.

''Mmmmm." Came out another unintelligible sound from the tired and drunk blonde as she shifted and tugged on his wrist more.

He cleared his throat with a few coughs before he could speak again coherently. ''I-I will be right back, but I need to lock the door and a bath wouldn't harm either."

''Mmmmm." She turned and peered up at him with one half-opened eye. ''Don't dare be all neat and clean when I'll fall asleep all clothed and stinky. Get back after you locked that damn door." With that, she rolled to her other side and tried to pull the blanket over her body with little success.

Nath deadpanned at her, but eventually did as he was told and got back right after he made sure all doors and windows were closed and locked. Nights like this when most of the people were enjoying themselves out there in the festival, many robbers and thieves chose this as the perfect opportunity to break in and steal as much as they can. He didn't want to take any risk.

When he finally got back after approximately five minutes, he found Chloe completely out cold and deep into dreamland with a pout on her mouth.

''Of course, she is dissatisfied even in her sleep." He muttered under his breath as he made his way to her side of the bed. He took down her shoes, dropping them on the floor, then pulled up the blanket carefully entirely to her neck and made sure it covered her body everywhere. The nights were still pretty chilly, she could catch a cold. The girl gripped the soft material and brought it closer to herself with a smile forming on her lips.

He stared.

'When she is this peaceful and quiet, and doesn't speak, and groan, and make faces, and insults others… she looks kinda cute.' He thought to himself. When the girl let out a dissatisfied groan again he immediately thought he had said that out loud and she heard it, but after she wriggled around and smiled again, he let out a sigh of relief.

He didn't know if it was harder to deal with drunk Chloe than sober Chloe but one thing was sure, he really didn't want the girl to remember anything after their ominous escape from the pub from this night. Their way to home was full of frustration and embarrassment. He would never live down if any of their neighbors had seen them coming back. A bright blush was covering his face again.

He had to get a grip, he kept repeating to himself, so he climbed into the bed himself after he took down his shoes and every clothes only leaving a still appropriate amount on himself. He couldn't sleep elsewhere, they had to share a bed. If not, it would be highly insulting to the consort and their family. And in all honesty, he didn't really mind.

He lied on his back and turned his gaze to the ceiling, running through all the things that happened the night and what was he going to do in the next morning. He was brought back from his thoughts when he felt movements beside him and in the next moment arms circled his torso as another body pressed to his from the side. ''Waaarm." Chloe nuzzled her cheek to his shoulder. He slowly turned his head and watched – and felt really well – as soft lips brushed against his bare skin, heat rising inside him.

The thoughts of the next morning flew out of his mind and never came back again during the night. Because how could he think about tomorrow when he wasn't even sure how he would survive this night.

~~~oOo~~~

''So…" Said Adrien while fidgeting with the curtain as he stood next to the window.

''So…" Answered Ladybug as she averted her gaze from him and refused to even look at anywhere near him.

''We should…?" He motioned to the bed uncertainly.

Her eyes widened and she turned bright red. ''We should what?"

When he sneaked a glance at her and saw her utter shock he realized what exactly he implied and quickly tried to correct his mistake. ''I meant we should probably get to bed to sleep together!"

Her eyes went even wider if that was even possible and she took a tentatively step back. He got flustered as well and started to make wild gestures with his arms. ''No! That is not what i meant! I meant it like go to bed! Together! And sleep! Sleep! Together!"

Ladybug slowly turned her head towards the bed. She gulped. She could do this. She could manage to do this. She slowly took a step then another towards the pile of silky blankets and cushions.

He sighed in relief, thinking that his sloppy wording somehow still got through her and he had managed to make the night a tad less awkward between them, but when he saw her shaking and gritting her teeth all his worries were back in place. He walked to her in a few steps and brought a hand up to her shoulder. When she instinctively jumped away from him like she was burnt, he immediately pulled his arm back and lifted both his hands up in surrender.

''I-I don't want to hurt you!" He told her in strangled voice panicking, then he coughed some to clear his throat and calm himself a little bit. ''I won't hurt you, I promise!" He gave him a warm, reassuring smile. She slowly looked up at him, hugging herself with her arms. Their eyes met and they were gazing at each other for quiet a long time before the fear slowly left her face and a uncertainty took its place. He felt like it was the time to try and be a little more intimate with each other and he gently touched her shoulder again. She flinched a little at the contact but didn't jump or pull away this time.

No, she didn't escape from his touch, but still averted her gaze shyly before determined, but still… -what was that? Scared? – eyes snapped back at his.

''You… you will be gentle, right?" The heroine looked for answers but she didn't get any as the knight looked back at her utterly confused.

''Of course, I just told you. I would never hurt you." He said in the end, giving her a warm, reassuring smile.

She looked away again. She still could feel the hand on her shoulder. His hand. She tried to get used to his warmth. Him touching her. She was still scared. It wasn't because of a mere shoulder-touch. Rather for the thought behind it. He will be touching her all over soon.

How was this working? Should she do something herself or it was enough for her to just wait for him to make a move. She really hoped it was the latter, because she was frozen on spot. She could endure it. He was a nice guy. He would be gentle, he said. They were going to be through it in no time. She would just close her eyes and think about anything else and it was going to be over.

She closed her eyes tightly. Yes, it will be over soon.

 **As always, don't hesitate to give me critique! Thank you for your time!**

 **Next chapter: Awkwardly yours**


	10. Awkwardly yours

**So here is the next chapter. I start to enjoy writing this.**

'What does she mean?' He thought and tried to figure out but with no avail.

He looked at her and she was gazing up at him with those pleading eyes. He had to answer or at least say something. Now. ''Of course, I just told you. I would never hurt you." He smiled again as it was the best he could think about. And it wasn't completely a lie. He didn't want to hurt her. Why would he ever wanna hurt her?

She was confused. He was yet to make a move. He didn't moved at all. She waited for something, not sure exactly what. Like, he would take down his clothes then hers too? Or was there supposed to be some foreplay? Was he about to kiss her?!

Her eyes shot open and she looked straight at the man in front of her again. He looked at her as well, his eyes comically wide, his mouth hanging open.

''Did you… did you think that… that I was about to…" He tried to get out the words through his utter shock. Did she really think that he was about to… ''You thought I will sleep with you, didn't you?"

She eyed him puzzled. ''You… you said, we will s-sleep together to-tonight." She stammered out in a way Ladybug never did, only Marinette,

''Hell! I didn't mean i-it like that, I-I am n-not a rapist!" He stammered on his words as well, immediately retracting his hand from her shoulder and taking a step back.

''B-but it's th-the wedding n-night a-a-and it's t-tradition to consume-'' She stuttered out but before she could finish her sentence she was cut off by Adrien's hand.

He looked at her with pity now and slowly shook his head. ''So that's why you were so nervous…" Now he brought both of his hands up to her shoulders and stroked them gently. ''You really know nothing about the matchmaking's costumes and traditions, do you?" The man slowly pushed her down to sit on the edge of the bed before he continued. ''My guess is that in your homeland wedding night has a different meaning and traditions, but here the first night spent together is intimate in another way."

He tried to explain while avoiding this whole 'consuming the marriage' thing but from the confused look on her face, he could tell he was doing a terrible job. ''Look… In Felidera you have only one shot with this whole love, marriage and family thing, so they highly advise every couple who only knew each other for a short time or didn't know the other at all before the ceremony, that they should wait with the consummation. One can't force something onto the other. Not just because feliderian law treats the two sides equally, but because with one spoiled first time you can ruin your intimacy and connection and with that your entire relationship." He looked straight into her eyes and smiled warmly.

''But or relationship is already kind of ruined." She muttered under her breath, then realized what she just said and her head snapped, ready to give an apology, but he stopped her.

''While that's probably true, I think forcing myself onto you would definitely make it worse and I don't want myself kicked in the butt by those monster-killing, metal-rimmed battle-boot of you." He flashed her a toothy yet sheepish grin while rubbing the back of his neck.

She chuckled lightly. ''You are tempting me."

''Please, don't." He pouted.

''Just kidding." The heroine gave the knight a small smile before she asked. ''But what's now? You won't touch me this night or you won't touch me at all?"

Adrien contemplated what to say. To be honest, he still held onto the hope that some day – even if it took years – they could reach a level of intimacy to at least kiss or something. Even some hugs and friendly cuddling would be more than nothing. But for now he decided to give a diplomatic answer. ''I won't ever touch you without your consent." He told her with a smile. It wasn't a lie. He was going to wait for her to open up to him. Even if she was unfriendly and grumpy with him so far, he believed all those stories about the girl with the kindness of an angel and boldness of a warrior couldn't be lies. The latter one was obviously true, he just have to wait and he would definitely see her softer and more compassionate side as well. He believed it. He had to believe it. Then a thought occurred to him. ''But of course, if it's a life-threatening situation and there is no way for you to give me your consent – like you are unconscious or unable to speak – I ask for your permission beforehand to save your life."

Ladybug was a little taken aback by the sudden declaration. She wouldn't of thought that after this crazy night and her rude behavior towards this man, he would still want to protect her. He was really a ridiculously nice guy.

Her expression softened after her short-lived shock and she smiled back at him. ''I don't think the day will ever come when you have to save me, but I appreciate the gesture and give my full permission to save my life if things will turn out like that."

He had to admit, even without a smile she was a real beauty. Like really. Soft midnight-blue hair, glimmering bluebell eyes, full rosy lips, skin almost white with delicate freckles… the stories didn't exaggerated how beautiful she was. 'Red rose of the battlefield' they called her that often. Her color was red and she looked fragile and delicate, but she pierced with her thorns and survived anything. He would lie if he said that he wasn't impressed. He was mesmerized the first time he lied eyes on her by her bright blue eyes and watching her in action definitely did interesting things with his heart. And now seeing the first smile she showed him accelerated his heartbeats. But still, he couldn't deny the dull pain he felt upon her statement. He knew that she didn't see him as equal. He knew she didn't really expected anything from him. He knew it right away, but it still hurt. It hurt, especially after it was confirmed by reality right after they had just met.

Contrary to his disappointment, he still smiled at her. This was their first genuine moment and he wasn't up to ruin it.

Somebody knocked and both of them looked in the direction where the sound came from. Adrien made his way to the door and opened it. In the hallway stood no other than his father's assistant and his long time caretaker Nathalie, with a stoic expression as ever.

''We prepared both baths as you asked." She told him in a neutral tone then glanced to the heroine who was still sitting on the bed. ''You can use it any way you want." She added, making Adrien flustered. A small – almost unnoticeable – smirk formed on her lips that the boy would have missed if he didn't glare at her very intently.

''Thank you, Nathalie. I think we will manage." He flashed an embarrassed look to Ladybug before turning back to the woman, but his glare met with a satisfied glint in her eyes, so he pouted.

''I hoped so." Nathalie showed him one last smirk before she turned to leave. ''But please, behave."

His eyes widened before they narrowed into a slit and sent daggers to the woman. ''Of course, I will behave." Adrien said sarcastically rolling his eyes. Why on top of everything did he have to endure her teasing as well? Couldn't this night just be over already?!

''Who will behave?" A new voice popped into the conversation, and he had to groan internally.

Of course, his suffering was not going to end just like this.

Amalie stopped Nathalie from leaving, draping an arm around her shoulder with a broad smile. She kept a firm but friendly grip on Nathalie even if she was one whole head shorter than her. The taller woman eyed her with an arched eyebrow, but after a few second she turned back to Adrien with an amused smirk.

'Oh, she dare to stay here to watch my inevitable and certain humiliation of course. Would it be too rude to slam the door at their faces and retreat before they find a way to embarrass me even more?' He contemplated silently in his mind, but in the end let out a defeated groan. Just his luck.

''How can I help you, Aunt?" He asked politely with a smile. ''Did my father come back yet?"

''Nah, I didn't see that party-killer, but I am sure he is just fine, don't worry about him." She waved her hand dismissively. ''I just wanted to see how things are going. You didn't force anything on my honeybug, did you?" She narrowed her eyes at her nephew.

He sighed for the hundredth time this night. ''Of course not, I would never do such a-''

''Just kidding, kid." Amalie said as she brought up a hand to mess with his blonde hair. ''I know you are not like that." She grinned at him and pulled on his ear before she completely retracted her arm.

Adrien yelped and rubbed his sore earlobe while pouting.

''Oh, don't be such a baby. You are a grown-up married man now, so act like one!" She chided him pretending seriousness, just before smirking again and poking his side a few times with practiced professionalism, earning a a few yelps from him. Nathalie still stood there while trying end failing to hide her amused giggles.

''Okay, that's quiet enough for one night. If you have nothing to say or ask, I am afraid I have to ask you to leave me and my wife to our own for the night." Adrien said as he gently but firmly showed them out.

''Be gentle with my new favorite niece you filthy sexual predator!" Amalie called out playfully before the door finally closed on them. Adrien leaned against the thick door to make sure they couldn't find their way back inside the room for now. He could hear the tell-tale laugh of his aunt and faintly but surely there was also Nathalie's small giggles. He swore, his aunt was a bad influence on her!

He sighed and looked back at his wife who watched intently as the events unfolded, trying to hide a smile of her own. The traitor!

Adrien shook his head and begrudgingly mumbled out. ''Want to take a bath?"

''Together?" Her eyes widened.

He stared at her with disbelief. This woman couldn't be serious!

''No. As I told you multiple times already I won't touch you or do anything in any way to make you feel uncomfortable. But it seems like I am talking to a wall."

She blinked back at him. ''Sorry?"

He sighed again. ''Never mind. The baths are ready. One for you on the right and one for me to the left from this room, so we wouldn't even be near to each other." He scratched his chin in thoughts. ''Though maybe I should show you the way or ask somebody to do so."

''I will do it!" Came a voice as the door burst open again and in the doorway stood and an every bit over-enthusiastic aunt. ''I will show her the way and make sure she doesn't get lost." She smiled brightly at her nephew who paled. He didn't know how and why, but she was going to do something he wasn't prepared of, he was sure of it. Okay, maybe he knew why. His aunt took pleasure in constantly tormenting him with embarrassment. He sneaked a glance to the heroine who sometime during his distraction stood up and moved closer to them. She seemed a little cautious, but other than that completely content with the idea. Oh, she was still so naive. So pure…

''I wouldn't mind. After the fight I am itching to get myself clean up and relaxed in a hot bath." She flashed a friendly smile at the woman.

''My sincerest apologies, but the water will get cold if you don't hurry, and you definitely in need of some cleansing hot water." Chimed in a voice before Nathalie made her presence known.

Of course, he should have know neither of them would leave so easily. He should have waited till their footsteps sounded as they walked away. What they hadn't done obviously. He had to be more careful in the future. But for now, he had to come up with something. And he never was good at coming up with plans.

''Nathalie, would it be okay if you were the one who escorted my wife to her bath? I want to have a word with my aunt."

Nathalie arched an eyebrow at him but said nothing, just nodded and turned towards Ladybug, gesturing the heroine to follow her. They watched as the two walked away and after they turned a corner and were out of sight, Amalie brought back her attention to her nephew. She pouted, obviously sulking a little over her lost chance to do something. Adrien let out a sigh of relief.

''This was rude of you, I wanted to get to know her better!" She said, narrowing her eyes at Adrien.

He just glared back at her. ''I know you would have made her uncomfortable or embarrass me in some way in front of her."

She raised an eyebrow questioningly. ''Honey, you don't need me to embarrass you. You embarrass yourself all the time just fine. I wanted to help you with your marriage. You should be rather grateful to me."

''Thanks, but I will manage just fine without your so called help."

''Right, because you have an excellent job so far." Amalie rolled her eyes.

He brought a hand through his hair in annoyance. ''What can I do if she hates me from the very start?" She could hear the bitter undertone of his words. She sighed.

''You know she doesn't hate you. She is just in an unexpected situation all of sudden and I know she has her reasons why she didn't want to be a part of a relationship. She seems to be the type who doesn't cope easily with change, give her some time to calm herself down. I can see she is already on her way."

''She still doesn't want to be my wife or have to do anything with me. That didn't change. She just can't do anything with it. We are stuck together." He leaned against the door-frame and hung down his head.

''She didn't refuse you, she refused the marriage. It's not the same!" She snapped at him.

''The result is the same." He mumbled under his breath.

''But the solution isn't!" She placed his hand on his shoulders. He looked up to see her smirking. ''You will be able to do it!"

''Do what?" Adrien furrowed his brows confused.

''Woo her, of course!"

''Me… what?!" He jumped back abruptly only to be reminded he was right in front of the door-frame, no spare room to jump backwards, so his head hit the thick wood with a loud thud and he winced. ''Ouch..!"

His aunt ignored this and continued. ''Woo her! You are fully capable to do so. You have everything that's needed."

''Like what?" He asked while rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head.

''Like a handsome face, kind nature, smart brain, warm and brave heart, piercing emerald eyes that makes all the ladies weak in the knees, and don't forget about that fine butt of yours!" She slapped his butt from the side. ''You got it from Gabe, and it worked for him just fine back then with your mother!" Amelie flashed him a smug smile.

''Too much information!" He yelled, hiding his reddening face behind his hands.

''Oh come on! You need to use what you have got!" She gestured wildly at him.

''I don't want to use all kind of tactics to get her to like me." He grumbled out averting his gaze.

''You know, you refuse this relationship just as much as she does." Amalie said in an uncharacteristically serious tone.

''What do you mean?" Adrien looked back at her.

''You didn't exactly put extra effort into this. You are content to give her space, but it's not out of concern but out of laziness to try harder." She pointed accusingly at him with her finger.

His eyes widened when the realization hit him. Then he narrowed his eyes. His aunt was right, but it was still unfair. ''Why can't I just have a girl who actually wanted to marry me?"

''I know you were hesitant from the start to participate in the ceremony, but it's for the better." She said reassuringly.

''For the better?! I got myself a wife who doesn't want to be with me at all! How is it fair?" He yelled in frustration.

''Life isn't fair, Adrien, but you can still make things better!" She started to get frustrated as well.

''Why do I have to try if she doesn't want to?"

''Because you want things to work out between you two!" For this the young male went silent. When Amalie saw that he wasn't about to respond, she continued in a much calmer and collected voice. ''Look, you are right. You could get a wife who was at least satisfied with how things are, but you didn't. It have already happened, you can't do anything to change that fact and you better move on from your disappointment. If you stay like this and continue to sulk over the past you will be stuck in this state. Don't watch what the other party should do to make things work, put in the effort yourself before you ask others to do so. If you succeed you will motivate them to do the same and if you don't you still didn't lose anything with trying. But if you stay like this you will surely regret it." She looked away from him, a sad smile lingering on her lips. ''You should work on your relationship when you still have the chance."

He kept staring at her in silent with a sad and regretful expression that matched hers, but he didn't smile. After a long moment of silence, he sighed and spoke up. ''I will try."

Amalie instantly beamed at him and ruffled his blonde hair. ''That's what I wanted to hear!" She stood on her tiptoes to reach him a planted a quick kiss on his cheek. ''Good boy. Now, go to the bath. You have to be neat and clean."

She turned on her heals and started to walk away, but before she could turn the corner Adrien called out for her. ''Aunt!"

She looked back over her shoulder with a warm smile. ''What's that, Kitten?"

He flashed a grin to her. ''Thanks."

She grinned back before disappearing behind the corner. ''Any time you mushroom."

Adrien stood a little dumbfounded. ''Mushroom?"

In the end he just laughed it off and started to make his way to his own hot water heaven. He needed to relax and get himself ready, after all, he would have to try and woo his wife.

Ladybug walked in silence alongside the tall woman. In a very awkward silence if you ask her. Nathalie didn't look at her, she kept her gaze on the hallway in front of them. The heroine sneaked a glance or two at her, thinking about if she should start a conversation or not. In the end she decided against it.

Her eyes traveled across the walls as they walked, looking at all the paintings and weapons that decorated them. The items were made of various materials, mostly metals like some antique bronze, thick iron and light steel. They ranged from really old to bran-new, in all sizes and all weight classes. They were also in different style and had to come from multiple lands – some were from Coccinella with their bright red accents, some came from Vulpes based on their light and brisk, easy to wear, easy to move style, others like the heavy, defensive-type should be from Tetsudinon - but all of them were pretty familiar to her.

After a few second of thinking the recognition struck her. After many years in the armor and equipment designing business she had experienced eyes for details so she could tell many those weapons served as inspiration to the successful and famous Agreste line. She knew that the well-known designer had traveled across the world – well the old miraculian countries – had learnt various things from different nations and used them in his creations. He was honestly a genius and anyone would be happy to work under him in the industry.

''You seem to be fascinated by those antiquities." Came the voice from beside her and she glanced at the woman.

''Nathalie, was it?" She asked and received a nod as a response. ''And yes, I like these things, find them interesting I suppose."

''Any particular reason behind your interest?" The woman asked in a neutral tone.

Ladybug contemplated for a moment before she answered. ''You can say it comes with the job."

Nathalie nodded in understanding. ''May I ask, why did you choose to be a vigilante?"

''I am not a vigilante." The words came immediately and firmly, and maybe were a little bit harsh.

Surprise went through the woman's face for a moment, but she masked it quickly. ''My apologies."

After a long moment of silence the heroine eventually answered. ''I was needed."

Nathalie contemplated on this before she said. ''Heroes are always needed."

Silence fell again on them and it didn't break until they reached their destination. The tall woman gestured to a large, two-winged, thick black oak door that was decorated with golden patterns and one big golden butterfly.

''Behind this door is a smaller room with three other doors. The one to the right leads to a relaxation room, the one to the left to a steam bath and the middle one to the normal baths and showers. There are both cold and warm types. You can use any of them as you wish. You will find some towels and nightgowns to wear as well." Nathalie explained in a neutral voice.

Ladybug nodded and opened the wooden door to enter, but the other spoke up again.

''Do you plan on pursuing a closer relationship with the young Master?"

The heroine looked back at her over her shoulder with a frown. ''I shouldn't even think about things like that. It's not safe."

''Then what would you do about this marriage?" Nathalie arched an eyebrow and looked at her interrogatively.

''I will be reasonably close and stay logically far at the same time."

The woman gave her an unimpressed look. ''Good luck doing so, Mistress. I take my leave now." She turned on her heals and left the baffled heroine.

Ladybug followed her with her eyes until she vanished behind the corner, then she sighed and finally entered the small hall. She stood there for a few seconds, looking at the neatly decorated interior. Beside the walls there were several purple velvet armchairs with golden butterfly patterns. The three doors were all black with golden accents and each had a bigger golden crest in eye-level on them. The one to the right had a golden cat, lazily relaxing on a pillow, the left one had a golden turtle surrounded by puffy steam clouds meditating and the middle one had a nude woman laying casually in a bath tube. Ladybug arched an eyebrow.

''It seems like they ran out of animals."

She chose the middle door and walked inside a changing room, wooden shelves with towels on the right and a hanging wardrobe with at least a dozen of nightgowns in various styles and colors from different materials on the left. She decided to go through them after she cleaned herself. On the other side of the changing room was another door, this one was metal with a circular window on it, covered with some material from the other side. She mused on if it had to do something with privacy or some other - to feliderians - obvious function. She grabbed a silky towel and made her way to the door, but suddenly remembered she supposed to change here not inside the bath like home, so she put the towel back and undressed herself. The mask had to stay. She had no more cookies for Tikki, and she wouldn't be able to transform her again if she detransformed now.

She inspected her figure in the mirror that covered most of the wall next to the door and sighed. If it wasn't for the Miraculous Cure her body would be full of scars already. It was a good thing it healed her wounds without leaving any trace after them, but still… she couldn't always use the cure so she still had some scares decorating her delicate white skin. The suit helped them heal faster and better than the average, but faint lines of pink still remained. Some were on her upper arms, some on her thighs, two larger one on her back and one on her stomach just below her breasts.

''Would he feel disgusted if he saw me like this?" She mumbled to herself as she adjusted her body in front of the mirror to get a better look on her back, then huffed. ''It doesn't really matter."

She finally grabbed the silky white towel again, enjoying its soft touch, and entered to the next room.

She had to say, it was far bigger than she thought. She didn't know why – it wasn't like this family wasn't extremely rich or something – but she expected some cold and hot bath tubes and a shower in the corner. Some simple bathroom with all the ordinary functions, even if the dressing room already indicated otherwise. So when her eyes layed on the large hot bath pool and its twin, the cold bath pool with the same size next to an actual bath tube – if the person wanted to take it simple – on one side and both sit-down showers with wooden and marble chairs and a normal one she was a little baffled. Most of the room was from marble, however, the upper part of the walls and the ceiling was covered by colorful mosaics. A marble brim ran along the walls, holding bath items, aromas and even three metal bowls full of three different type of flowerpetals.

This was pure luxury, something she wasn't used to. Of course, as Ladybug she was official to balls and other luxurious events and was constantly invited to the most exclusive places, but she wasn't about to use a bath, spa or any hothouse in her hero suit, even less as a nude heroine who only sported her red polka-dot mask. It would be pretty scandalous. And as Marinette she couldn't go either. She wouldn't have an explanation who is she and what she is doing there.

She didn't know if she should feel herself uncomfortable in an unknown environment to her or she should just enjoy the pampering for once.

She opted for the latter and chose a cold shower to clear her senses and then she was going to take a hot relaxing bath. Maybe even use a little aroma, but no bubble bath with rose petals for now. She found metal handles on the wall next to the normal shower and pulled on it until it reached the mild cold sign. The water washed over her. She could feel as the sweat and iron dust left her body, only leaving clean and soft skin behind. She sighed contently.

She would clear her mind, relax her sore muscles and go back to solve this mess with composed, calm behavior.

This was the plan.

Adrien was refreshed after his shower and now he was waiting for his wife to come back so they could talk about all of this like mature, collected adults with calm minds instead of emotionally challenged teenager potatoes.

And of course, he was planing on how he should try and woo his heroine wife. He forced his brain to think about something, anything, remember some advice or story his comrades had enriched his knowledge or things he had read in comics or books, but so far nothing came to his brainstorming mind.

''How are others doing this?" He groaned, pulling on his hair. ''This is way harder than I thought!"

He cashed his body into the soft blankets and groaned while rolling from one side of the bed to the other. Nothing came to his mind. Nothing.

''What do women fancy in these days?" He mumbled into a pillow. Suddenly his head shot up, then a moment later he completely jumped out of the bed – backwards – as an idea finally struck him.

''Of course, why didn't I think about this earlier? Women like gentlemen!" He nodded to himself with a satisfied expression, scratching his chin with a grin. ''She kept talking about how I should act more mature, kind and friendlier, so I will simply do so."

His ears caught on some noise outside the room and when he focused on it, he could her the footsteps approaching. His grin got broader. He straightened his back, adjusted his blonde locks and flattened out any wrinkles on his night wear. He had to look perfect for the occasion.

When the knocks came from the door Adrien felt himself ready to this. He was so ready. He could do this! So with this confidence when the tentative question ''Can I enter?" came he answered without hesitation.

''Please, come in!"

He waited for her in a perfect pose with a perfect smile, with determination and full confidence. However, all of this crumbled when he saw her.

''Sorry it took me so long, but I had some problems as what to wear…" She mumbled shyly as she averted her gaze from him. For his luck, otherwise she would had surely spotted the bright red blush on his cheeks.

'She is wearing red silk. Why is she wearing red silk? Why is she have to be so damn hot in red silk?!' His eternal internal scream filled up his mind and he avoided looking at her any further, completely aware how dangerous this started to become. He wasn't looking at her so she startled him when her nervous voice reached his ears.

''I-I am sorry. I know this… khm… clothes is pretty revealing, but all of the nightgowns that hung inside the changing room were like this or worse, and this one was the only one that at least matched with my mask, and my other clothes disappeared, and I didn't even have anything to wear on my feet, so I had to come back bare foot, and I am sorry, I am rambling…"

'Of course, her clothes disappeared and only this… kind of night wears were available for her!'After all his aunt had volunteered herself – with so much enthusiasm it should had been suspicious to anyone – to help him with the preparations around his upcoming marriage. She had happily took up the task to purchase everything woman related for him 'to easen his job'. He growled. He should had known!

'But wait… did she said she came back bare foot?'

His eyes snapped back at her and down to her feet. His eyes widened.

''You shouldn't stand on the could floor bare foot, you will catch a cold!" He jumped and made his way to his old closet pulling out some old childhood slippers with cat-ears from the back. He didn't know if his aunt got some woman sized slippers as well, but even if she did, he didn't know where she put them and his would be way too big for her, so this was his only option.

With a few big steps he was next to her and immediately knelt down and grabbed one of her ankles gently to lift it up and slide the slipper on it, then he repeated this with her other foot. Luckily her skin didn't feel cold yet. The hallways were all carpeted so maybe she won't be sick from this much. He sighed in relief.

That was when he noticed how silent she was during the the entire time. He slowly looked up at her face, seeing a poorly covered bright blush then his gaze slowly wandered back down. Bad decision.

His eyes almost bulged out of their holes when they fell on her more than well-toned legs. He gulped. He wasn't prepared for this. The red slik barely covered any of her down from her mid-thighs.

''Would you… would you stop looking, please…" She said nervously.

The sudden realization how much he was staring got to him and he fell backwards on his butt. ''So-sorry, I didn't mean to s-stare!"

''N-no problem. I feel just a little uncomfortable when someone can see those scars." She assured him, still a little nervous, gesturing with her arms.

He looked back at her confused. ''Scars? What scars?" His gaze slipped back to her exposed legs searching for the mentioned scars before two hands abruptly blocked his vision.

''I just asked you to don't look at them!"

He gently pulled away one hand from his face sheepishly looking up at her. ''Sorry."

She sighed. ''So… what we supposed to do now?"

''Woo you!" He exclaimed without thinking.

''What?" She stared at him with wide eyes.

'Really smooth, Agreste. Play it off!'

''I mean… wooould you want to go to bed? It's getting late and some sleep will definitely use both of us." He smiled at her nervously.

''Nothing tricky or unexpected, right?" She arched a questioning eyebrow.

''Of course not! We just go, get under the blankets and have some sleep while stay in contact to fulfill the tradition."

''Stay in contact? How so?" She still didn't lower her guard down.

''We can touch with our hands, feet or elbow, or hold something together if touching each other is still to much for you."

''Hm… I think touching elbows are just fine. Now get to bed, I am about to collapse from fatigue!" She commanded, walked straight to the bed and slipped under the silky blankets. He just stood there completely dumbfounded. When he didn't follow her immediately she peeked out from under the cover and looked at him. ''You are coming or what? Here is an elbow to touch!"

He shook his head to snap out of his stupor and strode right to the bed, lifting up the cover and lying under it. Adrien was looking right into her eyes and she looked back at him.

''Will you stop staring already?" She narrowed her eyes before turned around with a huff so her back was facing him now. He adjusted himself under the blanket, still baffled from what happened just now and what was still happening. She was actually content to sleep in the same bed as him without any complains or searching for an escape. She still wasn't the friendliest person, but the edge of her words disappeared. She was rather nervous than bitter now about all of this, and he could completely understand as he was just as nervous if not more as she was.

He smiled a little. Maybe they could make it work. ''Good night, I guess then?"

''Elbow!" Came her muffled voice from the other side and she raised up and wiggled her elbow in front of him then placed it back under the cover.

''Oh right, elbow!" He adjusted himself as he was laying on his stomach then brought up an elbow to gently touch it to hers. As they came into touch he saw as some tension left her shoulders and she sunk further into the sheet.

''Good night, Lord Agreste." She mumbled.

''Please… could you call me on my first name instead? Lord Agreste is my father and it feels strange to be called that." He asked her in a kind tone. There was silence for a long moment and he thought he asked her too much.

''Good night… Adrien." She said, her voice almost a whisper but he could still hear the smile in it.

Yes, they could definitely make it work.

Somewhere deep in a dark chamber a person stood in complete silence, waiting for something for a long time now. Something cracked on the back and faint light entered as the door opened revealing another person.

''You are late." The harsh voice echoed through the chamber, annoyance obvious in it.

''My apologies, but I had more on my plate than standing in a dark room and do nothing." The other party answered with sarcasm.

''You got them, right?" The figure in the middle asked in a calmer tone.

''I am pretty sure you saw everything yourself. But honestly, the great and mighty Master Fu was not quiet a tough opponent. If he really was that legendary warrior in the past than his age is showing." He said mockingly while adding dramatic effect to it with his arms.

''Even if Master Fu is not physically strong anymore, he still can cause us some surprise. What he lost with age in power he gained in experience."

''You are worrying too much. Even The Ladybug could do nothing to stop me. Remind me again, why I couldn't go after her miraculous in the first place? It would have saved us some trouble."

''I indeed saw your fight with Ladybug, and I wouldn't describe the situation as a clear win on your part." A mocking smirk appeared on their lips.

''I should have killed the bitch right then and there!" His angry growl resonated through the walls.

''Even if you were able to do so, you still wasn't allowed for a good reason and you know it." They arched an eyebrow at their angry company.

''I know, I know, we need both the ladybug and black cat miraculouses to gain ultimate power, but honestly we really need all this to get them? You saw how strong I was with all these monsters and everything."

''You won't cease to be a fool, will you? And this makes me remember… how did you dare to threaten that boy's life?!" The last part came out in a dangerously low tone. ''I have told you multiple times, you are not allowed to touch him and you go and hold him by the neck?! What were you thinking!" The anger was evident in his voice and he took a few, intimidating steps towards the other.

He shrunk under their gaze. ''I am sorry, okay? I wasn't about to kill him, I just needed him to get the last fragment."

''Give me the fragments. Now." Their eyes glowed with pure killing intent and he gulped, reaching inside his coat fast and revealing two small boxes.

''Here…" He stretched out his arm holding them out for them and the other snatched them immediately.

''Good. At least your rampage wasn't for nothing. Next time control yourself." They commanded then turned their back at the other and took a few step forward. ''And now it's time to bring together and create the power of possession again." They opened the boxes and two glass-shard-like fragments shone up inside them. Two more boxes on a table opened in that moment and now all four fragments glowed more and more with each second. ''Come, fragments! Fuse together and create the butterfly brooch again!" The four parts flew across the chamber and came together in the middle, fusing into one while emitting enormous purple light. The whole piece fell right into the palm of the person in the middle and they grinned. ''After 300 long years… it's time to show them what real power is."

A little purple creature appeared right in front of them. ''My greetings, Master. How can I help you?" The kwami asked with a smile but that smile immediately vanished when the dark energy reached his senses. His eyes widened. ''What do you want?" He floated backwards with fear.

''I will simple take back what is mine, Nooro." They said the last part in slowly, low, evil tone.

''No… not again…" He tried to escape but it was futile.

''Come, Nooro. Serve me and help me achieve what I want!" They placed the butterfly miraculous below his collar and smiled.

''No!" The kwami cried out but he could do nothing against the call.

''Nooro, dark wings rise!


	11. Mourning morning

**I'M ALIVE! I know it was ages ago I last posted a chapter to any of my stories, but my last semester at college and the summer after was pretty busy. I wrote my dissertation, got my degree, worked, fell in love - just kidding I'm a forever loner :"D - so I had lots of things on my plate but it was worth it. Every second. Now it's time I finally post something and thank for every precious person who took their time and read one of my stories, commented, gave kudos, etc. I'm really grateful. Whenever a notification popped up that somebody out there still wants to read my story I sat down and continued writing. But as I'm still bad at writing short chapters it took a long time and enormous effort to finish any of chapters I wanted to post. But now, here I am, thankful for your presence in this world and back to business ^_^**

It was a bright morning. The birds chirped outside and the first warm rays of the sun tickled Ladybug's face pleasantly. Not her eyes though. As the rays reached her eyelids the pleasant sensation became piercing annoyance and she tried in vain to dig herself deeper into the covers. In fact, she couldn't move. As the realization struck her that she in fact was stuck, her eyes slowly opened but not fully.

''What the…!" She, of course, tried to free herself. She wiggled her entire body, then tried her limbs one by one till she felt her right hand was slightly movable. This was just before she noticed that her right hand was pretty much occupied with something warm. She squeezed it experimentally and heard a tired groan.

''Could you just…" A very masculine whimper sounded form close. Really close. ''…calm down already?"

Her eyes flew open completely in horror and her gaze met with tired green orbs.

She screamed.

And he screamed back at her.

Ladybug, red clad heroine of good luck, savior of Entarossa, hero of the southern war, famous vigilante and brave role model to every children out there ceremoniously fell out of the bed backwards like a cheese-wrap while non-stop screaming from the top of her lungs.

The other person jumped out of the bed immediately and ran to her side. Seeing the stranger man nearing her she did the only sane thing a duvet-cocooned girl could think of in times of dread. Lost all control over her limbs she crawled on the floor using her chin and flexibility and with the grace of a caterpillar ducked under the bed. The only problem was the warm layers of her cocoon made her too thick to worm herself entirely to safety and she was stuck with half of her body in the open.

''Ladybug, please calm down!" The man tried to reason with her, but it was completely futile as the woman was already in a state of complete panic and continued to wiggle and wobble, still wrapped in the duvet.

''Please, I won't hurt you. I promise!" The man seemed to start panicking as well and in a thoughtless motion he grabbed the cover and tried to pull her back from under the bed. This, of course, resulted in a well-aimed cocoon-kick to the chin forcing the young man to lose hold of her legs. He was kind of impressed she could kick him this hard with her legs secured tightly together with the duvet. The next moment when he was leaning down back to grab the girl again he could only see a last few wiggles before the cover-cocoon sank to the ground, lifeless and emptied. He guessed she managed to loosen the wrap enough to get out of it.

Adrien sighed. He was too damn tired for this.

''Ladybug…" The man knelt and stuck his head under the bed only to meet a swift leg he could barely dodge. ''Whoa-'' He ducked his head. ''Wait-'' He received another swing from the girl's legs. ''Just-'' Another kick aimed at his head. ''Could you just-''This time she got him. ''Ouff-'' He crawled backwards, in fear of another violent action from his wife while rubbing his sore nose. When he was a safe distance from the furious feet he pleaded again. ''Could you please listen to me for just one second without trying to kick me square in the face!"

''Who are you and what are you doing in my room?!" She shrieked out from under the bed.

''I'm your husband and this is my room, dammit!" He answered more annoyed than he planned but less annoyed than he really was.

Suddenly the frantic movements stopped under the bed and silence fell on the room. Adrien got the idea his wife finally started to come out from her morning half-asleep panic attack and remember the previous day. There was silence for another minute before he could hear her moving again.

''Adrien?" Ladybug asked tentatively.

Some of the tension left his shoulders as he answered.''Yes?"

''So that wasn't a dream…" She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

''No, it wasn't." He stated a little uncomfortable. Was she sad again because of this? Annoyed? Disappointed? Desperate? His line of thoughts – or mental down-spiral into the deepest, darkest void – was interrupted by her next question.

''Why was I wrapped in the duvet?" She asked as she crawled closer the edge.

''Well…"Adrien sighed. ''It's a long and a little embarrassing story."

The heroine was silent for a moment again, probably contemplating on something before a delicate hand appeared from under the bed strictly pointing at him, demanding. ''Out with it!"

''So…" He nervously scratched the back of his head, nodding a 'yes' despite she had no way seeing that. ''Yesterday not too long after we finally went to bed and I just fell asleep you started to move around more and more. I didn't really give too much thought to it, thinking you were a restless sleeper or something, and didn't know if I even had the permission to comfort you in your sleep. So this was it until I felt a hard kick in my ribcage…" Ladybug winced a little. ''…and immediately turned towards you to see what's the problem, only to be kicked in the stomach." The heroine winced again knowing all too well where this little tale was going. ''Then you kicked me down from the bed. I thought about leaving you alone, but I didn't want to risk breaking the tradition and you obviously had some kind of nightmare so I lied down on the farthest corner of the bed again but you couldn't just leave me alone." At the end Adrien's tone was a little annoyed. ''I tried everything. Really everything. First I turned you to your other side but you turned back after a minute or so every damn time. Then you crawled closer and I thought you were trying to hug me. Oh, how wrong I was. You actually tried to strangle me then showed your knee up to my stomach when I tried to pry your arm off of me, then…"

Ladybug was happy he couldn't see her face, because it was just as red as her mask at the moment. Of course, she knew all too well how much of a restless sleeper she could be after a bigger battle. She constantly had nightmares afterwards. After one certain incident Alya promptly refused to sleep in her 3 meter radius at sleepovers. The heroine scoffed. Her best friend shouldn't have forced a sleepover onto her after such a hard fight in the first place. The girl was aware that she had nightmares for miraculia's sake.

But for now she had to deal with the embarrassing fact that she pretty much beat up her new husband at their very first night mercilessly. He, for sure, didn't imagine the wedding night like this. Ladybug felt as guilt settled into her stomach. Somehow she had to make it up to him. She decided she could start with listening to what he was saying as she kind of tuned him out for a little bit to wallow in self pity.

''…and then as the pillow barricade failed as well and you already bit me twice so I decided it was enough for one night. So I kind of used the technique we learned to restrain wild animals without hurting them and wrapped you up in the duvet. I thought it should be enough to stop you, but I was wrong yet again as you promptly ran me over like a steamroller. I thank the gods you are so light you couldn't hurt me much anymore excluding of course that few times you managed to push me down the bed." Adrien continued to tell her the story of his endless suffering, animatedly gesticulating with his arms to emphasize some things and not sparing any details. She wanted to stay under the bed forever.

''I am sooo sorry…" She pleaded from under in a desperate voice.

The blond paused in his story to look strangely – without better option the only visible part of her – her dejectedly lying hand on the floor before he spoke again. ''No. You don't need to apologize." He saw her hand making the gesture 'Oh, come one!' before it fell back to the floor. Adrien gave a bemused smile. ''Okay, maybe a little. Your punches are strong but your kicks are murderous. I suffered from them throughout the night for sure, but it's partly my fault. If I could figure out the solution sooner all of the duvet dread wouldn't have happened or would have ended sooner."

''Solution?" She asked in a quiet voice curiosity lacing her tone.

''Yep. As soon as you successfully seized my hand and pressed it to your face you calmed down."

Ladybug didn't know what to make out of this. Certainly, she had a nightmare but how did holding his hand to her face calm her down? She didn't even jump awake with a start as she usually did after intense battles. But why would he lie to her? There was nothing for him to gain. And it wasn't that bad.

''You know, you even planted a small kiss on the back of my hand. It was quite cute." Adrien said as he chuckled.

Okay, it was that bad.

''So… now that you know I am not some random intruder to your sleep-filled privacy, would you be so kind and climb out from under the bed?" He chanced a peek but only met with the duvet as the heroine tried to hide her growing embarrassment behind the thick material. ''Come on, the floor is pretty cold, you will get sick!"

Nope, there was not a chance she would face him!

''Should I ask the staff to help me get Ladybug, famous heroine of Entarossa out from under our bed?" Adrien quirked an eyebrow and smirked. He knew she couldn't see him but this took away nothing from his satisfaction.

Ladybug groaned.

''That's a 'yes'?" He was challenging and she hated it.

She groaned again. ''No, I'm coming out." She said quietly.

''Oh, you said something? I didn't quite hear you." He couldn't wipe off the smirk of his face even if he tried. And he had no plan to do so.

Now she growled. ''I'm coming out from under the damn bed to strangle you."

His eyes immediately went wide as he literally jumped back a whole meter from the sight of his angry wife crawling out from the darkness, scenes from old ghost stories flashing through his mind. But luck was on his side as suddenly pink light appeared from under. He arched an eyebrow. What was that?

Suddenly Ladybug didn't feel so urgent to come out, instead with a yelp crawled backwards bringing the duvet with her.

''Ladybug… is there something wrong?" Adrien moved closer again but kept a safe distance just in case.

''…no?" It was rather a question than an answer.

The blond deadpanned. ''You know, you are not really a good lair. What's the problem?"

''Nothing! Don't look!" Her muffled voice sounded from farther than before. Adrien guessed she probably tried to put some distance between then.

''I won't look." Really, what was this girl's problem? ''I just want to know if there is anything I can do for you."

''Cookies! Bring me cookies!" Her voice was still higher than normal and he could detect the urgency in it.

''Cookies?" He asked slowly, tasting the word on his tongue as he tried to find some meaning in all of this.

''Yes, cookies!" She confirmed it again. ''Fast!"

''Okay…" Adrien couldn't really comprehend what was happening but he decided to put that aside for later. ''Would you come out if I get you cookies?"

There was a moment of silence before the tentative 'yes' sounded.

''Then come out, I'll get you cookies." The blond said as he stood up.

''No, I'll come out after I got the cookies." She stated pretty firmly for a woman hiding under a bed.

''You can't wait under the bed, you'll catch a cold." Adrien gestured bewildered while thinking about how ridiculous this entire situation really became. Here he was, standing in his nightwear seemingly arguing with a furniture. It must be a sight to behold.

''No can do it." Stubbornness dripped from her words making the blond groan. He buried his face in one of his hands, rubbing the last bits of tiredness out of his eyes.

''Oh come on, just come out already!"

''Nope."

He sighed. ''Okay, whatever is the reason you want to hide from me you don't need to remain under the bed for that. I'll be out of the room, get you the cookies and give them to you without entering the room. It must be okay that way, right?" He really hoped it was because he was on the verge of a tired breakdown.

There was silence before her tentative voice sounded again. ''You promise me you wouldn't peek?"

Adrien let out a sigh of relief. ''I give you my word."

''Okay, I'll come out as soon as you left the room."

''Give me a second." He said as he made his way towards the wardrobe pulling out a robe to shield himself from the cold. Then he went to the door and left the room only sticking his head back for one last time. ''I'll be back in a few minutes."

When Ladybug, or rather Marinette, was sure he was outside she crawled out from under the bed and whined. ''Tikki, this was soooo embarrassing! What kind of first impression was this?!"

''Well, I think his first impression of you was you being rude and pretty unfriendly, so being the awkward mess going through a nervous breakdown with a dash of headstrong stubbornness is still better and closer to your real personality." The kwami said from Marinette's shoulder, smiling as the girl huffed.

''Thanks, Tikki. This really helped to make me feel better." The sarcasm was evident in her words.

''You're welcome." Seeing the girl's pout the kwami giggled. ''Come on, Marinette! It wasn't that bad and I think he took it pretty well." Tikki tried to cheer her up as usually.

''You only say this because he's getting you cookies."

''I never said otherwise." The red kwami grinned. ''But I really think he took it well. But if you are not satisfied with my opinion after I ate my cookies and transformed you, you can go and talk to Alya. I am sure she will gladly hear you out." Tikki's eyes shone with mischief.

''Oh my gosh, Alya! I'll definitely strangle that woman!" Marinette growled as suddenly the memory of her scheming came to her mind.

''Marinette, I doubt you took that crystal as a result of one of Alya's masterplans." The kwami continued before the girl could say anything. ''She gave you that charm, that's true, but others made mistakes as well not to mention it was your lack of knowledge that doomed you in the end. Don't try to place the blame on others. You are not like that."

The bluenette groaned. ''You're right. I'm just frustrated with all of this. How should I tell my parents I'm married but unable to introduce my new husband to them as he has no idea I'm his wife. Well… it's not like I'm really his wife as I can't really be with him. Argh, why is this so hard, Tikki?"

''Oh Marinette…" The little god hugged her chosen's cheek. ''Everything will turn out alright, I promise!"

For the first time that morning Marinette smiled. ''Thanks, Tikki. You're always here for me."

~~~oOo~~~

The morning sun's rays found their way through the curtains of a certain artist's bedroom window and directly assaulted his eyeballs, burning them out mercilessly. Nathaniel tried to squeeze his eyelids shut, closing out all the harsh sunshine in vain. In the end with an additional groan he decided he couldn't escape further from his morning chores and unwillingly opened his eyes.

To meet an icy blue death glare.

He let out a manly shriek and scrambled backwards, falling out halfway from the bed but eventually found a grasp on the frame to keep himself up. He panted heavily as his eyes wandered back to the source of his panic.

Still glaring daggers at him was lying there one and only Chloe Bourgeois.

''Would you stop panting like a damn dog? My head is about to explode." She grunted out with a groan, clearly annoyed, then shielded her eyes with her arm when suddenly the curtain moved and harsh rays of sun found her defenseless. ''And shut that damn curtains, would you?"

''Good morning to you too." Nathaniel rolled his eyes.

''Morning, rather mourning. All the sounds and lights trying to kill me." Chloe growled out burying her face deeper into the covers.

Nathaniel deadpanned at her but after a few second a smirk stretched on his lips. He made his way to the window but couldn't stop himself from opening the curtains a little, letting the light assault his wife before he completely shut them, closing out all the menacing sunshine.

''It seems like somebody got a hangover." And he couldn't hide the smirk in his voice either.

''A what?" Chloe asked slowly as she resurfaced and massaged the bridge of her nose.

''Don't tell me you've never had a handover." Nath chuckled.

''I don't have a hangover. Only common people have hangovers. This is just a headache."

''Really? Are you sure?" He spoke louder than it was necessary and was pleased by the result as Chloe wrapped the cover around her head protectively.

''Shut up, you cheeky bastard." Came the muffled voice of the blond. ''This is all your fault."

''How is it my fault you drunk too much?" Nath arched an eyebrow still smirking.

''You could have stopped me." She grunted out.

''Please correct me if I'm wrong, your Highness, but as I recall you stated several times during the night that 'no one can stop me'." He said the last part in a high-pitched mocking tone obviously mimicking Chloe.

The woman peeked out from under the cover, giving him a one-eyed death glare. ''I hate you."

''It's the hangover talking, not you." Nathaniel went through his morning route, getting out some clothes and other things before he went to take a bath.

''Oh, I can assure you it's not just the hangover. And don't even dare think about using the bathroom before me or you're a dead man." Chloe told him, never breaking eye-contact and there was something threatening in her voice.

''Oh come on, I'll be-''

''Don't try me, Kurtzberg." She said slowly, her nails scratching the bed's wooden frame. She winced a moment later. Right, making threatening sounds wasn't the best idea when the person had a hangover. But based on the flinch Nathaniel gave her he got the message.

''Okay, I go and prepare a bath for you."He muttered out and made his way towards the door. ''Just stay in bed, I get some Mesmery Magic Medicine for you."

''Forget it, that thing is a drug."

Nathaniel looked back at her a little surprised. ''Wow, I would never pledged you the type who believed in conspiration theories."

''Believe me when I say it's not a conspiration theory." Chloe said from her spot on the bed, now in a much more comfortable position as she could claim the whole bed as hers.

''And why should I?"

''Because I know some things your little head is too artistic to understand." She was obviously mocking him even though on the previous night she saw all the evidences she needed to know, her husband had more than his fair share of intelligence. She still wouldn't admit it in front of him, not in her death bed.

''Of course." Nath said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. He wasn't in the mood to continue this argument after a long night like the one they had yesterday so he just went to do his own things beside preparing a bath for his grumpy wife.

~~~oOo~~~

Nino was turning in the bed restlessly. He couldn't find a spot that felt right and after to loss of the comforting warmth of another body a hour ago the pleasant temperature of the sheets dropped as well. He groaned as he unwillingly decided it was time to get out of bed.

He quickly draped a robe around himself and made his way towards the kitchen hoping to find his wife with a chunk of freshly brewed coffee. On his way there he grabbed his favorite fluffy socks to cover his already freezing feet lacking the necessary protection above a pair of fluffy turtle themed slippers.

He wasn't disappointed when he found Alya slipping her everyday lifeforce from a Ladybug inspired mug while intently reading some papers held in her right hand.

''Good morning, my dear wife." Nino exclaimed in a sing-song voice barely betraying his sleepiness with a yawn, catching the attention of said wife who looked up at him with an arched eyebrow accompanied with an amused smile.

''Good morning to you too, sweet husband." Then her eyes moved to his feet and her smile turned into a devious smirk. ''Really? Grandpa socks? Right after our wedding night?"

Nino blushed and started pouting. ''For your information, they're extra fluffy non-grandpa socks for guys who are cold on a freezing spring morning."

''Like my father." Alya told him, still smirking then poured some coffee into another mug and pushed it towards her husband.

''Your father is not a grandpa." The man retorted taking his seat on the opposite side of the table while reaching for the warm lifesaver.

''He'll be soon."

Nino promptly fell backwards dropping – or rather throwing – his mug upwards that fell into to the already waiting hand of his wife as she caught it effortlessly. Then she burtsed out in laughter.

''Oh my gosh, your face was hilarious! You should have seen it!" Alya said between breaths as she tried to get herself under control.

When her husband caught on that he, in fact, fell into his wife's trap again glared up at her while still lying on the floor, the stool under him and he didn't even make an attempt to get up, his annoyed frown deepening with every fit of laughter his wife failed to prevent bursting out of her.

''Alya, joking about these kind of things is just not right." He pouted while making a great effort to not look at her.

''I wasn't joking, though." She said when her laughter subsided into giggles.

Nino's eyes snapped back at her.

Alya saw her husband still didn't get it. ''Oh god, no. I'm not pregnant."

He let out a sigh of relief.

''At least I still don't know about it. I can't be sure after the previous night."

''Alya!" Nino groaned as he tried to sit back.

''Okay, okay, I know. We're still not up to have kids. At least I'm not. I still don't have the background to raise children." She handed him his coffee while sipping her own, her eyes falling back to the papers she put down for the course of the joke.

Nino looked at her seriously now and reached for her hands. ''You know, everything that is mine is now yours too. Anytime you feel ready we can have kids. My job as a palace knight is pretty stable with a good payment."

Alya met his gaze, surprised. ''I thought you didn't want to have children in the next couple of years at least."

A soft smile tugged at his lips as he took both of her hands into his own. ''Well, I wanted to build up our marriage properly before we take responsibility for a little crawling or two."

''It's called a toddler, Nino." Alya giggled good naturally as he continued, unphased.

''It wasn't in my plans for the near future." He locked eyes with her, tugging her hands to his lips and placing a soft kiss upon them. ''But now they aren't just my plans anymore. They're our plans now. And I want what you want."

Her eyes gleamed with unshed tears and gratitude towards the man in front of her and Alya couldn't – and didn't want to – stop herself as she leaned across the table and gave a kiss on his lips, leaving a lingering taste of black coffee, before whispering. ''And I want what you want."

The quick kiss was followed by another and another one, the chilling air of a spring morning becoming warmer and warmer.

Alya grabbed onto his robe and started sliding it down from his shoulders when suddenly Nino's hands came up to her wrists and stopped their movement. ''Wait, wait, if you weren't joking with the grandpa thing then...?"

She blinked at him, surprised that he would bring up that thing during their make out session that was quickly turning into something else. ''Oh, you know, my older sister. She's pregnant and we will have to give them a visit once she gave birth."

''Oh yeah, I almost forgot Nora is pregnant. When is she due?"

''My little niece or nephew comes out two months or so from now on and I'm so excited!" She let out a happy squeak followed by a content sigh."I always wanted be an aunt so much, but I didn't get the chance up until now to be the dotting figure in anyone's life. I just wanted to remind you so you can make sure to have some time off of work when the time comes."

Nino gazed at her adoringly. He cradled her face into his hands and gave a kiss to her cheek. ''You're so good with kids, I know he or she will love you. You'll be the best aunt."

''Well, I have some competition as my little sister aren't so little anymore." She grinned at him.

''Ella and Etta are growing young ladies now. Will they be following in your dad's or mother's footsteps or…?" Nino scratched his chin.

Alya raised her hands in the air, stopping him. ''Let's not get ahead of things, the twins are only teenagers and still have time to decide what they want to do in the future."

''Okay, I totally get it." He raised his hands as well in surrender. ''More than you, actually. Contrary to some ambitious journalist here who was so sure about her carrier, I was still uncertain considering my future when I entered my twenties."

She frowned at him. ''That's because you wanted to be a musician." Her hands dipped into his hair caressing his scalp. ''And still do."

''Alya, I already let go of that dream. A musician can hardly provide for his family and I want to be your rock you can lean on whenever things get messy and financial stability is part of that." He stroked her hair gently.

''Nino, I never wanted you to give up your dream for me and you shouldn't!" His wife exclaimed as she grabbed onto his shoulders firmly.

''I know. But that's why I did it on my own account." And Nino knew he would give up thousand dreams for this girl.

''No, Nino. You won't give up. I won't give up. I won't allow you to give up and will never let you forget about your dreams and desires just because we have to face new type of challenges. We are in this together, so we have to solve this together as well." Her hands slipped from his exposed shoulders to his robe and she pulled him in for another kiss. ''Support is a two-ways thing, you know." She grinned while licking her lips, satisfaction evident on her face.

The man smiled back at her and leaned down for another kiss but he was abruptly stopped with a bunch of papers pressed onto his lips.

''And the first step I need to take is to work even harder from now on to get a permanent job at the best newspaper." Alya grinned mischievously then sat back, papers firmly in hand.

Nino groaned and slumped back onto the stool.

''I shouldn't have interrupted our make out session."

Her answer was accompanied with a devilish smirk without even looking up from her work. ''Yeah, you shouldn't have."

Her husband glared at her before accepting defeat and glancing down at the papers his wife was so interested in. ''What are you looking at anyway?"

''Just some info I got this morning. It's about the incident on the previous night." Alya said nonchalantly, turning to the next page.

Nino blinked. ''Wow, your sources for sure work fast."

''You've no idea." She replied with a smirk but her expression slowly turned into a frown and she sighed. ''But this info is actually mostly garbage. Just rumors and speculations nothing to go by. All the things happened yesterday seems to be a mystery."

''You think it's because of the enemy's secrecy or the government tries to hide something?"

''Probably both." She inspected every single paper again carefully. ''The previous page said some vague information about the creatures attacking the palace, but I'm not good with ancient mythology and now here is some guesses about the fact that the royals are still very silent about the entire thing, more so, not a single one of them have been seen since the attack."

''Maybe they're just afraid after all of this mess yesterday and went into hiding to protect themselves." He shrugged.

''I would understand if the rest of the family disappeared into thin air without any trace… well, barely any trace, after all my sources are pretty good and transporting royals would surely get some attention here and there, but even then the king should be coordinating everything and calm the nobles with his presence."

Nino scratched his chin in thoughts. ''Yeah, he is a pretty great guy, he was there to go through with the entire evacuation himself so it's not like him to hide with his tail between his legs."

''Exactly." Alya agreed vehemently, taking a large gulp from her ladybug mug, so large she started choking on it, but after she regained herself she continued. ''Some rumors say there was a fight in the throne room and after Chancellor Damocles entered nobody except a few were allowed to even get a glance into the place."

Nino's stomach dropped with anxiety. ''Do you think Ladybug knows something?"

''Maybe, but I think she's not exactly up for an interview after a night like that." She slumped down onto the table. ''I should really hunt down Marinette today and help to ease her freak outs."

''Oh yeah, I can't believe you actually hide the fact from me that your best friend is the most famous heroine of our time." He narrowed his eyes inspecting her carefully. ''Do you have any other grand secrets you forgot to tell me?"

''For one, it wasn't my secret to tell, and if Mari didn't out herself with the way she acted around me I doubt I would have told you anytime soon. There is a reason why I don't usually tell you my big scoops. Your blabbering mouth can keep no secrets."

''Excuse me?!" He asked exasperatedly. ''For your information my dear wife, I can definitely keep secrets. When I have a secret my mouth is sailed." He even made a dramatic move as he locked the invisible locket on his lips and blew to his fingers to make the imaginary key vanish. ''You know, many trust me with their deepest darkest secrets and trusts me more than my own wife."

''Is it really a good thing that some strangers can trust you more than your own wife?" She arched an eyebrow.

Nino rolled his eyes. ''Why can't you just tell me about things? I was trustworthy during our entire relationship."

''Orange pie." Alya said in a low voice, narrowing her eyes.

''Really, you are still hung up on that?" He mumbled as he retreated into his shell in defeat.

''I would never ever let go of the fact that you, my fiance told everyone in your dorm the secret family recipe of our miraculous orange pie in your pie-filled euphoria!" She exclaimed, widely gesticulating with her hands.

''I didn't tell that many people!" The man tried to defend himself.

''Your entire dorm! Sixty-two people!" His wife shouted back.

''How the hell do you even know that?!"

''I'm a journalist!"

''Don't blame me, blame the power of your magical pie! That thing made me lose control over my words, it wanted to be shared by everyone in this world like the true manifestation of pure happiness!"

''It was a secret recipe for a reason!"

''So you can keep all good things to yourself?"

''My great-grandmother left that recipe to us!"

''And I'm sure she wouldn't mind!"

''You pie-devouring secret-breaker with the blabbering mouth of a-''

But before Alya could have finished her sentence there was a loud knock on the front door and both their heads snapped up.

Nino turned to his wife and looked at her questioningly. ''It's pretty early. Are you waiting for any guest?"

''Don't ask me, it's your apartment." She raised her hands in surrender but went to the door nevertheless as she really didn't want any prying eyes to see her husband in nothing more than a slightly parted robe but save that promptly naked. With grandpa socks. So she opened the door after glancing back at said husband peaking out from behind the corner and fought back an amused giggle.

In the door stood an unknown man mostly covered in a huge brown leather coat with a hat and gloves made out of the same type of material, immediately reaching into the inside pocket of his coat as soon as he saw the woman without a word.

Alya took a step back tentatively at the sudden movement and moved the door so it stood protectively between them. For this Nino moved out from his hiding place as well and made his way to the side of his wife, imposingly towering behind her and watching out for any suspicious act.

The man narrowed his eyes – the only visible thing apart from the upper half of his face, the other half under the hem of the coat – but said nothing, handing a thick envelop with a butterfly on it to her. Alya knew she shouldn't just accept anything from a stranger, but as many times before, her curiosity got the better of her and she tentatively took the offered envelop from the man. The man murmured something, righted his hat and turned to leave without another word.

Nino stepped out from behind Alya and called out after the suspicious man but he was already out of sight. He contemplated chasing after him to get some sort of explanation out of him but as he was about to step into the hallways, his wife grabbed onto his arm gently, stopping him from any rash decision while her eyes were glued to the envelop.

Nino dragged a hand through his hair to calm himself. He wasn't a person who usually acted on his feelings, wasn't known from his temper, but the fact was that he hated the kind of world Alya worked in. Full of secrets and dangerous people where you could never know what to expect from the ones surrounding you. This suspicious man gave out a very offsetting vibe and he didn't like the fact that he knew exactly where they lived. Where he could find Alya. The thought that this man could come by when he wasn't around and his wife was alone to fend for herself made him feel anxious. Don't get him wrong, he knew better than anyone, how capable Alya was. She survived more dangerous situations than most knights he had the pleasure to know.

This just made him… worried for lack of better word.

He glanced down at his wife who was still almost mesmerized by the mysterious envelope handed to her, inspecting every inch of it to find out as much information as she could without breaking the seal.

''I would ask if you are sure about opening this more than suspicious thing, but I would only waste my breath, right?" He asked, resigned.

Alya only grinned up at him as an answer.

Nino sighed.

''I feared so…"

 **Next up: Chat Noir**

 **Thanks for reading! ^_^**

 **Beta reader wanted!**


End file.
